Fairytale of New York
by euphemiafleurtrinket
Summary: Consider this a Hayffie advent / Christmas countdown calender where instead of chocolate, you get a new Hayffie chapter every day! Hayffie AU in which Haymitch and Effie meet in New York at (you guessed it) Christmas!
1. Day 1- November 1st

_Well, here we are! This is something I've been working on for several weeks now and I'm so proud that I've gotten so far with it!_

 _Consider it to be a Hayffie Christmas countdown calendar where, instead of chocolate each day, you get a new chapter of a Hayffie Christmas AU!_

 _This idea was inspired by two of my favourite Christmas movies- Love Actually and Elf. The latter only inspired one or two scenes, but those will be evident as the story progresses (actual chocolates for anyone who guesses the scenes)._

 _Because there will be such a large number of chapters with hopefully daily updates, not every chapter will be 1000+ words. I wanted to do this in a very chronological order (starting November 1st and running up until December 25th), so some chapters are shorter than others._

 _Also also, when I say 'chronological order', I mean the dates. There wont be a chapter for each day as a) something chapter-worthy wont happen every day in their lives and b) I wanted to write from their first meeting and it seemed incredibly rushed trying to cram it all into one month for the purposes of matching the dates up. So, our story starts in November and ends in December.  
This fic is being updated each day on my Tumblr account (euphemiafleurtrinket)and I'll try to update as frequently as possible here (I work very long hours 4 days a week so on those days, don't expect a chapter._

 _I hope you all enjoy this! This is such a huge challenge for me, but I'm enjoying writing it._

 _As always, feedback is always appreciated!_

* * *

 **NOVEMBER 1ST**

Haymitch stuffed his hands in his pockets, a scowl taking over his face partly due to the cold that had fallen over New York City, but mainly because he'd been dragged out of the warmth of his house in the suburbs by his best friend.

Haymitch had moved to New York fifteen years ago, after a string of events that he was only too desperate to forget. The city was so different to his home town and, although he'd left friends behind, like his old friend Mags, who'd been a very close family friend who he'd known since he was a child, he knew it was for the best. He'd begun to spiral out of control with his drinking, and New York was a place of distractions. He'd found himself a steady job, training and qualifying as an officer for NYPD. Chaff also worked for the police department and from their first meeting, they'd clicked. Haymitch had never looked back.

Haymitch had an incredibly strong bond with Chaff, but when it came to forming any other relationships, Haymitch was at a loss. Now, at the age of 36, Haymitch had been single for 20 years. He'd never trusted himself to commit to being in a relationship with someone, no matter how many times Chaff had tried to set him up. Haymitch had thought the man would stop bugging him about his relationships when things got serious between Chaff and the woman he was dating, Maggie, but apparently, it only spurred Chaff on. And now, the pair were out looking for an engagement ring for Maggie, with which Chaff was planning on proposing on Christmas day. Haymitch had only agreed to help after Chaff promised to buy him a beer afterwards.

"I don't see why ya can't just ask her, then take _her_ out to choose her ring in the new year," Haymitch grumbled as they battled their way through the crowds in Times Square. "Ain't like I can offer ya any useful advice on what women like, anyway."

Chaff just chuckled, shaking his head at Haymitch's complaints  
"How d'ya expect to ever gain any knowledge of romance if you keep rejecting any date I try to set ya up with?" He responded, which prompted Haymitch to shoot a glare in the man's direction.

"I told ya, I ain't into all that shit," he muttered.

"You're far too young to be so bitter, Haymitch," Chaff smirked, leading them in the direction of a small jewellery boutique.

xXx

Three hours later and Chaff's search for the perfect ring had been fruitless, and Haymitch's mood was steadily worsening. They'd been to what Haymitch assumed was every single jewellery store in the entire city, and yet he still found himself being dragged to the first floor in Macy's, a store Haymitch had never ventured into in all his time living in New York, and he quickly realised why.

The place was even more crowded than the streets outside and the bright lights were enough to give him a headache. Added to that were the chirpy sales assistants who seemed to pounce on Haymitch and Chaff the second they stepped off the escalator.

After making a somewhat miraculous escape from a man trying to sell them the latest men's aftershave, Haymitch found himself being led to the jewellery section, Chaff quickly descending on some French designer Haymitch had never heard of.

While Chaff was talking to an overly-enthusiastic salesman, Haymitch took the opportunity to kill time by browsing a nearby stall. A plethora of diamond jewellery sparkled beneath the glass case, but Haymitch's focus was on the price tag. How someone could justify spending $3000 dollars on a pair of earrings, Haymitch would never understand.

"May I help you?" A woman's voice broke Haymitch's internal rant and he looked up to see the beaming blonde sales assistant on the opposite side of the glass counter.

"Me?" He said gruffly. "No, I'm just…lookin'."

"Well, if it's something for a special someone, allow me to-"

"Woah…" Haymitch held a hand up to silence her, his eyes glancing down at her name badge briefly. "Listen, _Euphemia,_ I said I was lookin'. Ain't mentioned who for or why. Don't jump to conclusions."

The woman looked mildly offended and, ordinarily, Haymitch would have scoffed and walked away. But something about her had him rooted to the spot, all but ready to apologise. But that wasn't him. Instead, he pointed a finger in Chaff's direction.

"That asshole is the reason I'm here," he grumbled. "Had me all over the damn city helpin' him find a ring for his girl."

"I see," Euphemia nodded, smoothing out her fitted black blouse. "Well, as I was saying, before you interrupted me, we have quite a lovely selection of new rings just in time for Christmas. Perhaps he'd be interested."

xXx

"Your eyes were on her tits the entire time," Chaff grinned wolfishly, taking a sip of his beer as they sat in the bar.

"Fuck you," Haymitch grumbled, but he wasn't about to deny where he'd been looking. "She was hot, give me a damn break."

"Yeah, she was hot," Chaff smirked. "And potentially _single._ "

"How many single women do you know who walk around with a diamond the size of fuckin' Jupiter on her ring finger, huh?"

"Could just be modelling the jewellery," Chaff shrugged. "Stores do shit like that. Starts conversations that could lead to a sale."

"How the hell do you know that?" Haymitch raised an eyebrow.

"Maggie. She used to work for some makeup counter before she trained as a cop. They make staff wear the products they wanna sell, so people ask about them."

"Huh," Haymitch nodded, scowling into his beer. "Well, I still ain't convinced. She was hot and women like that ain't usually single."

But somehow, he knew Chaff was right. The way the woman was looking at him wasn't the way a taken woman would look at someone.

He decided right then and there he was going to get Mags a necklace for Christmas, one that he'd spotted while Chaff had been purchasing the ring.

Although, he knew deep down that his train of thought was literally just him looking for an excuse to go back to that damn jewellery counter.


	2. Day 2- November 2nd

_Welcome to day two of my Hayffie Christmas countdown! As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 **NOVEMBER 2** **ND**

If it had been any other time of year, Haymitch wouldn't have assumed people would be working more than one day in a row. However, he knew that stores tended to extend their employees contracts around thanksgiving and Christmas, so he knew there was a good chance Euphemia would be working the next day.

Chaff had been harassing him over the woman the previous evening, to the point where Haymitch had switched his phone off at 10pm to block the incoming messages from his best friend. He was thankful Chaff was on shift that day, otherwise Haymitch would have risked being spotted heading back into Macy's.

He made it to the first floor, but was once again hounded by employees trying to sell him ridiculously overprices items for the _special woman in his life._ Haymitch just rolled his eyes and pushed past them.

As he neared the counter, his heart was pounding, and he prayed Euphemia wouldn't realise his true intention in coming back. He had a whole story mapped out in his head and he hoped she wouldn't see through it.

He could see her behind the counter and he breathed an audible sigh of relief. However, the relief was extinguished when a customer got to her before he did and Haymitch was accosted by another sales assistant.

"May I help you?" The assistant asked with an overly-enthusiastic grin on his face.

Haymitch's focus had been on Euphemia when the assistant's voice snapped him back to the present.

"Uh…yeah…" he grunted. "I was here yesterday…saw a necklace I liked and your colleague over there helped me. Came back today to reserve it."

"I can do that for you," the man smiled. "Do you remember which one it was?"

"I'd…really rather she does it," Haymitch said sheepishly. "She helped me out so it should really go on her sales."

"I could easily-"

"No, I'd _really_ rather speak with her…" Haymitch said, before internally cringing over how desperate he must have sounded.

 _If Chaff were here right now…_

With a nod, the man shuffled off, mumbling something in Euphemia's ear and prompting the woman to look over at Haymitch with a smile. When she'd finished her sale, she came over to him.

"Haymitch, isn't it?" She smiled brightly. "What brings you back here?"

"That uh…that necklace you showed me yesterday. Thought I'd come back and reserve it."

"Oh, of course," she nodded, before disappearing down behind the counter. "It was the pearl one, wasn't it?"

"Mm," He said, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

After a few moments, Euphemia re-emerged, a sorry smile on her face.

"It appears that the necklace has already been sold," she said quietly. "I do apologise, Haymitch. Perhaps if you tell me who the gift was for, I could find an alternative?"

"I uh…it's for an old friend," he said. "She's from this small fishing town so uh…the pearl thing was a real nice idea."

"Oh," Euphemia nodded, before ducking back below the counter. Minutes later, she emerged again, holding a black velvet box. Opening it up, she revealed a simple silver chain with a seashell charm dangling from it.

"This one's a little pricier, but I'm willing to take off a little discount for the inconvenience," she said, only to be met with Haymitch shaking his head.

"Don't worry about it, it ain't your fault," he said. "But if you're _really_ desperate to make up for it, you'll let me take ya out for coffee."

The words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself and his mind was screaming at him to walk away, never coming back. But one look at Euphemia's smiling face told him it wasn't such a bad request to make.

"I'd like that," she nodded, before gesturing for him to follow her to the register.

"I finish work at two on Friday," she continued as she rang up the necklace. "If you'd like to meet me then?"

"Sure," Haymitch nodded, still unbelieving that he'd found himself in this situation as he handed his card over. "There's uh…a real nice place a couple blocks away. I can meet ya here and we'll walk down together, unless ya wanna meet me there?"

"I'll meet you here," she smiled. "I'm afraid I'm still somewhat unfamiliar with the city."

"Okay," he smiled, accepting the back once he'd paid. "I'll see ya at two on Friday, Euphemia."

"It's Effie," she called after him, prompting him to turn back to her with a smirk.

"Effie," he repeated, waving at her before heading for the escalator.


	3. Day 3- November 3rd

_Welcome to day two of my Hayffie Christmas countdown! As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 **NOVEMBER 3** **RD**

Haymitch was barely awake when he pulled up at the office the following day. He wasn't a great sleeper at the best of times but last night, he'd been awake pondering his upcoming 'date' with Effie.

No, he wouldn't call it that. But it was the closest thing to a date that he'd had since…

Haymitch had been 16 when it had happened. Happily dating a girl he met in high school two years previously and then tragedy had struck. He'd lost her in a blink.  
He still saw her ghost sometimes, as if she were guiding him through his lie. But it hurt, and he just wished that sometimes, she'd let him move on and be happy.

He was broken from his train of thought by someone knocking on his car window and he looked up to see Chaff waiting for him.

"Didn't think you were workin' today," Haymitch said once he'd gotten out of his car.

"Yeah," he sighed. "Will called in sick. Apparently I'm their go-to in a situation like that."

"Ain't got a clue why," Haymitch smirked, nudging his friend in the side as they walked into the office building.

The two men stopped by the canteen to grab a coffee, chatting as they waited in line.

"Did ya go back for that necklace, then?" Chaff asked with a knowing smirk.

"So what if I did?" Haymitch said, instantly defensive. "Yeah, I went back. Effie had-"

"The fuck is Effie?" Chaff frowned, before a grin spread across his face. "Oh…the blonde with the tits…"

"If that's the way you wanna describe her, then yeah," he mumbled, ordering his coffee and paying before going to sit down at a table.

"So you're on first name terms with her, then?" Chaff wiggled his eyebrows once he'd sat down with his coffee too.

"I can read, Chaff," Haymitch rolled his eyes. "Says it on her name badge."

"So you _were_ staring at her tits, then," Chaff grinned wolfishly.

"Go fuck yourself."

xXx

Chaff wouldn't let it go for the rest of the day and, to make matters worse, the pair were partnered up on call too, meaning Haymitch was trapped in the car with him in the middle of New York for the entire afternoon.

"You're gonna wanna get your little man checked out before you start datin' her," Chaff smirked, onto what Haymitch had counted to be the man's fifteenth ridiculous comment in the past hour. "You sure he still works?"

"Chaff," Haymitch growled. "I'm warnin' ya…"

"Come on, man, it's just a bit of fun…"

"I wasn't like this when you first started datin' Maggie," Haymitch grumbled, his gazed fixed out of the front windscreen.

"Probably because ya had no experience of women," Chaff grinned.

Haymitch hadn't shared his past with Chaff and he wasn't about to now.

"I'm seein' her tomorrow, if ya really wanna know," Haymitch mumbled, unsure whether that admission was truly a good idea.

He soon learned that it wasn't and, by the time he made it home that evening, he was cursing Chaff to hell and back.


	4. Day 4- November 4th

_Welcome to day 4 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown! As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 **NOVEMBER 4TH**

It seemed to get colder with each passing day now, and Haymitch hated it, Back home, it had stayed relatively mild throughout the winter period. He'd never actually seen snow until his first winter in New York. Now, fifteen winters on, he still wasn't used to it.

Bundling his coat around himself, he fought his way through the crowds on 34th Street as he made his way to Macy's. He could see the storefront at the opposite end of the street and he cursed himself for not having gotten Effie's number. It was two o'clock now and, with crowds like this, he knew he would be at least five minutes late.

When he finally arrived, he was relieved to see her standing there waiting for him, wrapped up in a pink fur coat to match the insane stilettos she had on. The rest of her uniform was black, he knew that much, but he'd only seen the upper half of her body from behind the counter.

"Tryin' to add a bit of colour to an otherwise dark outfit?" He smirked when he reached her.

"Well, hello to you too," she smiled brightly. "I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up."

"Nah, got caught up in the 3 billion people makin' their way to your store," he shrugged, gesturing for her to follow him. "Bet you're real glad you're done for the day. Seemed to be a ton of men and no doubt they're heading for the jewellery department."

They made it to the café and sat down, the pair clearly glad of the warmth. Haymitch ordered them both a coffee before sitting down opposite her.

"So…" Effie started with a smile. "I'm sitting here with you and I barely know a thing about you. Where are you from?"

"Atlanta," he said. "You said you weren't familiar with the city, so I'm guessin' you ain't from around here either?"

"Los Angeles," she nodded with a tiny smile. "I moved here six months ago on my twenty-fifth birthday with hopes of signing up to a modelling agency. I'd never guessed I'd be rejected and end up taking on this temporary Christmas job."

"You were rejected?"

"Yes," she said sadly. "They said I wasn't tall enough. I had the figure, the look, everything. But not the height."

"Yeah, they said the same about me," he teased, which made Effie giggle. "Nah, I'm kiddin'."

"What do you do, then?" Effie asked, the smile still playing on her lips.

"I'm a cop in the NYPD," he said. "Chaff, the guy you sold that engagement ring to the other day when I asked you about that necklace, he works with me."

"You're a cop?" She said, raising an eyebrow. "Goodness, you must have women lining up around the block to date you!"

"Nah," he shook his head. "Wouldn't be sittin' here right now if that was the case. Shit…I…that's not what…"

Effie shook her head with a fond smile over his fumbling, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Haymitch, I don't mind," she said softly. "It's nice to be having coffee with someone I don't work with. Besides, you're like me. You're away from home and so am I. Something tells me we ought to stick together in this big city."

"Something tells me you need someone to show you around," he grinned in response, his prior flustering forgotten.

And so, instead of just having coffee and going their separate ways, the pair chose to take a walk through the streets, Haymitch pointing out all the little-known spots hidden away. A coffee shop here, some boutique he figured she would like there. She even showed him a few of her own personal hidden gems, like a family-run bakery just off of 34th Street, which Effie said makes the best cheese buns in the whole city. Haymitch couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm over something so trivial, but silently vowed to try out the cheese buns in question when he was on his lunch break.

It was strange how much they seemed to connect after having only met briefly before hand. Haymitch felt like he'd finally found someone who's presence didn't grate on him to the point where he wanted to cut all ties. From the few hours they spent together that day, he'd established that she was flighty and eccentric, but also that she was sweet and someone he would definitely like to get to know better.

Even the tiny things about her stuck in his mind, things he wouldn't notice in any other woman he spoke to. The way the left corner of her lips tilted up higher than the right when she smiled. The way her nose crinkled when she giggled. Hell, he even noticed the delicate way she sipped her tea while he spoke. Everything about her was etched into his memories in a way he'd never expected.

When he asked her at the end of the day if she'd like to do this all again some time, he was relieved when she agreed.

"Wait," Effie smiled just after they'd bid goodbye.

"What is it?" Haymitch frowned, but watched as she grabbed his hand and wrote on the back of it with a pen she'd produced from her pocket. He quickly realised it was her number.

"Call me," she giggled. "We can arrange something again."

Next time, he would most definitely class it as a date.


	5. Day 5- November 9th

_Welcome to day 5 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown! As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 _Enjoy!_

 **NOVEMBER 9** **TH**

It took him five days to pick up his phone and actually contact her. He'd saved her number the second he'd gotten home, knowing he would have accidently washed it off at some point. But that's all he did.

He didn't know why the nerves took over him despite the fact he'd spent an entire afternoon with her. Perhaps it was because he hadn't done something like this for so long. Perhaps it was the fact that he still held himself responsible for what happened to the last girl he let himself get close to.

When he really thought about it, he did want to see Effie more. She was so… _perfect_ to him and he knew he'd curse himself for the rest of eternity if he let her slip away.

Part of him wished he'd given her his number instead. She seemed a lot more attuned to the art of 'dating' someone than he was.

"Fuck it," he muttered to himself that afternoon and fished his phone out of his pocket.

It still took him twenty minutes to hit the call button under her name in his contacts list and the three rings it took her to answer felt like an eternity as he listened.

"Hello?" came her delicate voice from the other end of the line. There was some element of hope in her voice, as if she'd been wishing it was him.

"Hi, Effie?" Haymitch responded gruffly. "It's Haymitch. Figured I'd call."

"Darling!" She squealed. "How are you? I was so very worried about you."

"Yeah, yeah, 'm good," he mumbled, fumbling to turn the call volume down before she burst his eardrum. "You?"

"Oh, I'm perfect now that you've called me! I'm truly aware that your job is not without risks and, well, you hear stories all the ti-"

"Wait…" Haymitch couldn't help the smirk that spread on his lips. "You thought I was dead 'cause I didn't call ya?"

"That was…a concern I had, yes," she admitted quietly, which made Haymitch burst into laughter.

"A rational person would think 'oh shit, he mustn't be interested'," Haymitch chuckled.

"Language," she mumbled, which only made Haymitch laugh more.

"Seriously, though," he smirked when his laughter faded. "I didn't call because I…"

"You were nervous?" Now it was Effie's turn to laugh.

"Somethin' like that," Haymitch shrugged. "Shoulda given you _my_ number. Bet you wouldn't have hesitated."

"If I'm going to be truly honest with you, Haymitch, I thought you weren't interested," Effie sighed. "And I didn't understand why. We had such a wonderful afternoon and, after all, you were the one who asked me on another date."

"Yeah, I know," he mumbled. "I was uh…definitely interested. Still am. S'why I'm callin' ya."

He could feel his cheeks burning as he spoke. It wasn't often anything made him this way. Right now, he felt like a teenage boy trying to get a date with a girl on the cheerleader team. Except Effie was apparently interested in him too.

"Is this you officially asking me out again?" She said and Haymitch could practically hear her grinning, which eased his mind a little.

"Guess so," he smirked. "How uh…how does dinner and a movie sound to you?"

"Oh darling, that would be magical!" She gasped. "When will you be free?"

"Not a clue yet. But if it's gonna be an evening date, I'm free on the 15th. Only workin' an early shift."

"Well, my darling," Effie babbled. "I will see you on the fifteenth."

Afterwards, they bid their goodbyes and Haymitch slipped his phone back into his pocket, heading upstairs to get ready for his afternoon shift at work.

xXx

"Tell me 'bout her, then!" Chaff grinned as they sat in their cop car just off Times Square. "Ain't seen ya in a few days."

"We got coffee," Haymitch shrugged, taking a bite of the sandwhich he'd bought a few minutes previously. Chaff had been on a few days vacation and honestly, Haymitch was glad to have his friend back. "S'about it."

"Mitch, I know you," Chaff insisted. "You fucked her yet?"

"That all you're fuckin' bothered about?!"

"Hey," Chaff held his hands up in mock apology. "She's hot. Can't blame a man for fantasisin' 'bout what she's like in the sack."

"You're gettin' engaged!"

"I can still look! I want details, man."

"Fuck you," Haymitch grumbled. "And for the record, I ain't slept with her. Like I said, we got coffee, walked a bit and then said our goodbyes. Spoke on the phone this mornin' too."

"Jesus, Mitch, you're gettin' borin' in your old age.

"Yeah, or maybe I just got more respect for women than you do."

xXx

 **20:19PM  
[Message received- Effie] **_Hello darling. I've been looking at movie listings for the night of our date and my favourite cinema is showing Sleepless In Seattle. It's my favourite movie and I'd truly adore watching it with you. Would you like that? X_

The text tone was loud and jolted him from the doze he'd been falling in to in his arm chair. He'd only finished work an hour ago but, after his conversation with Chaff, things had gotten hectic. He was exhausted.

Reading the text, Haymitch smiled, instantly typing out his reply.

 **20:22PM  
[Message sent- Effie]**Never seen it but if u want 2 watch it, I'll go with u. U want dinner b4 or after?

Her reply was almost instant.

 **20:22PM  
[Message received- Effie]** _Before would be wonderful. We could get drinks afterwards. What do you say to that? X_

 **20:23PM  
[Message sent- Effie]**Sounds good 2 me. Meet u at 6 for dinner?

The final message made Haymitch grin and, for the first time in years, he felt his heart jump with a hint of romantic feeling.

 **20:25PM  
[Message received- Effie]** _I can't wait. I'll see you then. X_


	6. Day 6- November 13th

_Welcome to day 6 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown! As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 _Enjoy!_

 **NOVEMBER 13** **TH**

"What do you think of this one?" Effie smiled, stepping out of the dressing room in the flowing silver gown.

"Eff, you're going to watch a movie," Talia groaned at the sight of her sister. "Not attend the premiere."

"Oh, hush," Effie waved her off, disappearing back behind the curtain to try on the next dress.

Talia had probably been the wrong person to ask on a shopping trip. The girl was six years younger than Effie and about as in to fashion as Effie was in to regular clothing. She was visiting Effie for a couple of days now, and Effie could already tell the girl was regretting it.

"How about this?" Effie said, emerging in a short pink sequinned dress this time.

"Whatever," Talia shrugged. "If you're trying to get laid by this guy, then yeah. That's the one."

Effie narrowed her eyes.

"I'm not trying to do _anything,_ " Effie hissed, propping her hands on her hips. "Just because I've been single for several years does not mean I am trying to get this man straight into my bed. I'm not _you,_ Talia."

That made the girl crack a smile.

"Yeah, you definitely need to get laid. You're grouchy as fuck."

xXx

Effie ended up purchasing the pink dress, not for the reasons that Talia cited, but for the fact that Effie truly did like the dress. One she paired it with her white faux fur coat and silver heels, she knew she would look like a dream.

"Tell me about him, then," Talia said, stirring her hot chocolate as they sat in the window seat of a nearby Starbucks. Effie had originally wanted to visit one of the smaller cafes Haymitch had pointed out to her, but she decided she'd much rather experience them with him.

"He's…" Effie struggled to choose a word. "He's an intriguing man. That's all I can really say about him."

Only then did Effie realise how little she knew about him. She'd met him several times since she met him first almost two weeks ago, and yet she didn't even know simple things such as how old he was.

"What's he look like?" Talia pressed on, distracting Effie from her train of thought.

"He's rather tall," Effie said with a tiny smile. "He'd blond and he has the most unique blue eyes. That's how I was first drawn to him. I've never seen a blue like it. Just imagine the colour of-"

"Yeah, I don't need you going all poetic on me, Effie," Talia rolled her eyes. "Blonde hair, blue eyes. Doesn't sound like your type."

"Well, he isn't what I usually go for, no," Effie sighed, remembering her last boyfriend, who's had brown hair and green eyes. "But he caught my attention."

"How did you meet?"

"You're asking so many questions," Effie said with a smirk, but shook her head. "He was helping a friend find an engagement ring. They came to my store in Macy's. And Haymitch came back the next day, intent on buying a necklace. I don't know if it had been his plan to purchase a necklace all along, but a part of me hopes he came back just to see me. Wouldn't that be so romantic?"

"Sure," Talia murmured, sipping her chocolate.

"Anyway," Effie continued. "The necklace he'd seen the day before had been sold. I offered him discount but he refused. Said I should let him take me out for coffee instead."

"Shit, any other man woulda wanted you to pay him with-"

"Be quiet," Effie snapped. "He is…decent. I know that much."

"You don't seem to know a whole lot about him."

"I've only properly been out with him once, Talia. Nothing is serious yet and I'm certain I will get to know him better in time."

"Bet he turns out to be a total dick," Talia smirked, taking a sip of her hot chocolate. "You think dad would like him?"

"It doesn't matter if daddy likes him or not," Effie huffed, starting to get irritated with her sister's attitude. "I am a grown woman. If I get hurt, it is my fault."

"Well, at least you're prepared for shit to go wrong."

"Would you kindly stop using such foul language around me?" Effie scolded. "Mama would be so disappointed in you!"

"She isn't here," Talia shrugged. "And I'm just being truthful, Eff. I know how badly you reacted when your last relationship ended. I just want you to be careful is all."

"I appreciate that," Effie sighed. "But I feel like Haymitch is different.

xXx

Talia flew home that night and, once Effie was home, she decided to run herself a bath. Once she was settled in the warm water, she let her mind wander.

She prayed that Talia was wrong about Haymitch not being the sweet man she thought he was. Effie was usually a very good judge of character, but what if she was wrong?

Talia always had a way of putting a negative spin on things and now, Effie was worried.

She truly knew nothing about him aside from his job and where he was from. Effie slowly started to realise that Haymitch had walls up and she made it her mission to break them down.

By the time she stepped out of the bath, the water was lukewarm. She'd been thinking for almost an hour and she realised that was the longest period of thought she'd ever dedicated to a single person.

Haymitch had truly embedded himself in her mind and she knew he wouldn't be going anywhere soon, whether things turned out good or bad.


	7. Day 7- November 15th

_Welcome to day 7 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown! As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 _Enjoy!_

 **NOVEMBER 15** **TH**

He couldn't see her face as he made his way down the street towards her, but he knew it was her.

Over the two short weeks since he'd first met Effie, he'd come to know her somewhat eccentric fashion taste and as soon as he'd seen the blonde bundled up in what looked like a polar bear, he knew it was her.

"You sure you ain't gonna freeze?" He said sarcastically as he reached her, chuckling as she fondly narrowed her eyes at him.

"One day, you'll learn to greet me with a simple 'hello'," she retorted. "I recall you greeting me with a statement on our previous date."

"That was a date?" He raised an eyebrow. "I figured that was just you apologisin' for sellin' the necklace."

In response, she gave him a look which told him he was very close to an invisible line she'd drawn, before she delicately took his arm and began to walk with him.

"You truly have terrible manners, Haymitch," she sighed. "I don't know why on Earth I'm pursuing something with you."

"Must be my incredible good looks and my undeniable charm," he teased, savouring the thrill of having her tucked so close into his side. There was a particular chill in the air that night and he would be lying if he said he wasn't grateful for her added warmth.

"Well, I am yet to see the latter," she fired back instantly, but when Haymitch looked at her, he could see a smirk tugging the corners of her perfect fuschia lips.

XXx

"You been here before, then?" He asked as they sat down in the window booth of the small Italian restaurant.

"Mm," Effie nodded, shedding the fur coat and sitting down opposite him. "My sister likes this restaurant, so we try to fit in a trip whenever she visits. We didn't go this time, because I knew I would be coming here with you."

"You've got a sister?" Haymitch questioned.

"Yes," she smiled. "She's six years younger than me and the complete opposite. I truly don't know how someone can be so pessimistic all of the time, though."

"Maybe I ought to be datin' your sister instead, then," he grinned. "'Cept she's a little too young for me by the sounds of things."

"How old are you?" Effie changed the subject. "It's a question I've neglected to ask you."

"Thirty-six," he shrugged. "You probably guessed older, right?"

"No," she giggled. "I guessed younger. Perhaps you're too old for me too."

"I'm gonna guess…thirty?" Haymitch smirked, fully aware he could offend her.

"Almost," she responded. "Twenty-eight. I should slap you for guessing I'm older, but I just got my nails manicured specially for tonight and I don't want to ruin them."

"Just as well, then," he winked.

After they'd ordered drinks, Effie excused herself and got up to use the bathroom and Haymitch took out his phone, seeing a message from Chaff pop up.

 **18:37PM  
[Message received- Chaff] **_How's the date going? You offered her coffee back at your place yet?_

The message made Haymitch roll his eyes, knowing exactly what Chaff was hinting at. As always.

 **18:38PM  
[Message sent- Chaff] **_Go fuck yourself._

He was relieved when Effie returned and slid his phone back into his pocket, turning his attention back to the woman in front of him.

"Tell me," he said with a hint of a smirk. "How many innocent polar bears died so you could have that coat o' yours?"

"You're an idiot," Effie giggled, shaking her head. "It's fake. Don't tell me you're some…passionate conservationist? Have I offended you?"

"Nah," he shook his head. "Just questionin' is all."

They were interrupted when the waiter brought their drinks and Haymitch instantly took a sip of his beer.

"Tell me 'bout this movie we're watchin' tonight, then," he smiled.

"What do you mean?" Effie raised an eyebrow. "Oh Haymitch…don't tell me you haven't seen Sleepless In Seattle…"

"Nah," he shook his head. "Ain't one for romantic movies."

"Goodness," she sighed. "It's…well, it's about a man who lost his wife. His son calls up a radio show and tells the presenter his dad is lonely and needs a new girl to make him happy."

"Huh," Haymitch nodded. "Well uh…I'm intrigued."

xXx

After they'd eaten, they strolled arm-in-arm to the small movie theatre a couple of blocks away. Haymitch had never been, but he knew of the place. It tended to show old or independent movies. Chaff had been a few times with Maggie and had told Haymitch about it.

Once they were settled in their seats, Haymitch casually flung an arm around the back of Effie's, marvelling in the way Effie seemed to gravitate towards him. Eventually, his arm was around her shoulders and he was thankful that she'd shed that coat of hers, because the feel of her warm skin beneath his palm was almost intoxicating to him.

Every so often during the movie, he glanced at her, seeing how enthralled she was. He knew it was a movie she'd seen dozens of times, but it was clear to him that it was one of her favourites.

But for some reason, the storyline of the movie resonated deep within him. A man, torn apart by the loss of the woman he loved and those around him just wanting him to be happy. Right now, Haymitch felt like life imitating art. And maybe, just maybe, Effie was filling the empty space in his life.

xXx

"You seriously cried?" Haymitch teased as they left the movie theatre. "They had a happy ending, right?"

"Oh Haymitch, it's such a beautiful ending," she sniffled, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. "Meeting atop the Empire State Building…it's so perfect…"

"Well, I ain't a romantic," he smirked. "So don't expect shit like that from me."

"Language," she mumbled, but there was a fond smile on her lips.

He volunteered to walk her home despite the fact he knew he'd need to get a cab back to his place. As they stood outside her apartment building, he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"It's been uh…real nice tonight, Effie," he murmured. "If uh…if you wanna do this again some time, I'd be down for that…"

He was surprised when she answered him by leaning up and pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"You don't even have to ask," she responded, blushing. "I very much enjoy your company."

"Good," he smiled at that, trying not to shiver against the cold. "I'll…I'll call you, yeah?"

"Make sure you do this time. I don't want to have to fear for your life this time."

"Whatever," he smirked. "I…goodnight, Effie."

"Goodnight, Haymitch," she smiled, before disappearing through the apartment door.

As Haymitch walked away, he felt a warmth spreading through him from where her lips had touched his skin.

Just like Annie had been for Sam in the movie, perhaps Effie would turn out to be his salvation.


	8. Day 8- November 17th

_Welcome to day 8 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown! As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 _A/N- this chapter is terrible, because my motivation today has been terrible. But I didn't want to not update, because that would throw the whole thing off and I really want to keep going with this. I've managed eight chapters including this one, which is the most I've managed in over three years. I just think it's important for me to clarify that writing a 25-chapter fic is difficult for me, so not every chapter is going to be fantastically written (well, no chapter of this fic is fantastically written but you get my point).  
And I promise, I have some better chapters coming up. Consider this one a filler chapter while we build up to the good stuff._

 _Anyway, enjoy!_

 **November 17** **th**

"Before you ask, no, I ain't slept with her yet," Haymitch said before Chaff had even had a chance to greet him.

Chaff held up his hands in mock apology, gesturing to the beer already waiting on the table for him.

"You're late," the man observed. The pair had arranged to go out for a beer, but Haymitch had arrived five minutes after the scheduled time.

"Sorry," Haymitch mumbled. "Effie called right as I was-"

"Shit, buddy, she's takin' over your damn life. Am I second best now?"

"Fuck off," Haymitch grumbled, taking a sip of his beer. "We're jus'…friends."

"I'd say otherwise, Mitch. Whenever I'm with ya, she's all ya wanna talk about."

Haymitch hated to admit it, but Chaff was right. Effie had somehow cemented herself to him from the second he'd seen her. That's how he knew she was different, that she was meant for him.  
He hadn't been in a relationship for nigh on twenty years, but he'd had his fair share of dates and one-night stands. But none of them had meant anything, not until Effie had came into his life seventeen days ago.

Yes, she was definitely different.

"Buddy?" Chaff's voice broke Haymitch's chain of thought. "You in there?"

"Huh?" Haymitch cleared his throat, trying to pretend that he hadn't just been lost in thought.

"You glazed over," Chaff smirked. "Ain't never seen you like this before."

Haymitch met Chaff's words with a scowl.

"I swear you're more obsessed with my love life than your own," Haymitch said, his scowl turning into a smirk. "Bet you ain't even got a plan on how you're gonna propose to Maggie, 'cause you've been so focussed on me and Effie."

"I'm just gonna give her the ring," Chaff shrugged. "She ain't into all that showy shit."

"Effie's the opposite," Haymitch said. "You know, we went to watch that Seattle movie the other night and she swears that the characters meeting on the Empire State is the most romantic thing in the world."

Chaff almost spat out his beer at that comment.

"She made you watch Sleepless In Seattle?!" Chaff sputtered. "Fuckin' hell, Mitch. It's like you're married already."

"What d'ya mean?" Haymitch frowned. "She liked the movie and she knew the theatre was showin' it the night we went out."

"Women eat that shit up, Mitch," Chaff shook his head. "Although...maybe it'll give you some pointers.

"Pointers?"

"Yeah," Chaff nodded. "You can tell a ton about what a woman likes just by her favourite movie. Let's see…"

"Don't…" Haymitch groaned, but he knew Chaff was unstoppable right now.

"She wants romance, that's for sure," Chaff continued. "I feel like she wants to take care of you and wants to make you happy. Does she know about your past yet?"

"That's a door I ain't gonna open for a long while yet," Haymitch grumbled, downing a third of his beer in one, trying to block out the memories threatening to surface.

"Well, maybe you'll get her to fall for you before that, so it ain't like she's just in it 'cause she feels sorry for ya," Chaff rationalised. "Yanno, like the girl in the movie hearin' his story and leavin' her boyfriend for him, 'cause she thinks he deserves happiness."

"Effie ain't like that," Haymitch muttered. "She…she's…I dunno."

"Maybe you need to get to know her, then," Chaff shrugged.

"Yeah, 'm tryin'," Haymitch sighed. "Fuck, what if she freaks out when she realises all the extra damn baggage I come with?"

Haymitch would be lying if he said he wasn't scared of losing her already. He had enough in his past to terrify anyone and he dreaded the day Effie would find out. He knew it would come out one day, but he'd try to keep that hidden for as long as possible.

"If she gives as much of a shit about you as you do about her, ya don't need to worry," Chaff gave the most helpful and genuine piece of advice he'd given since they'd first encountered Effie. "You gonna see her again?"

"'Course," Haymitch nodded, finishing his beer. "Next week at some point. We're both workin' a lot these next few days so…"

"You know, Mitch, I'm real happy for ya," Chaff murmured. "I know I take the piss but…shit, man, I ain't seen ya this happy."

"Yeah," Haymitch smirked. "Jus'…quit askin' if I've fucked her yet. She's a damn lady, so I don't think she's the type o' gal to get to that stage right away."

"If she's worth waitin' for, you'll wait," Chaff nodded.

"Yeah, she's definitely worth it."

And she was. For the first time in his life, Haymitch was determined not to fuck up. He'd never been more determined in his life.

She was too good to lose.


	9. Day 9- November 18th

_Welcome to day 9 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown! As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 _I'm sorry this is late- I've been away, so I couldn't update. Days 10 + 11 will come tomorrow!_

 _Enjoy!_

 **November 18** **th**

Effie had been barely prepared when her best friend, Portia, appeared at her front door that evening. The woman had been on vacation for a week, but Effie most certainly hadn't kept her in the dark on things with Haymitch. Portia's excitement on the matter was enough to rival Effie's, and she'd already started asking questions before she'd even stepped through the door.

"I want to know _everything,_ " Portia giggled as they stepped inside. "What does he look like? How old is he? Where does he work?"

"I'm not telling you where he works," Effie smirked, heading into the kitchen and opening up a bottle of wine, pouring two glasses before she joined Portia in the lounge. "You'll only go there and see if you can find him. It wouldn't be the first time you've tried to vet someone before I'm even properly dating them."

"Oh come on, Eff, that was one time," Portia whined. "And he turned out to be a scoundrel anyway."

"One time too many, darling," Effie shook her head. "I think…things feel different with Haymitch. I don't know why."

"Oh, that's just the sweetest thing," Portia sighed dreamily. "I wish things were like that with Anthony…he tries to be sweet and romantic but it very rarely works."

"You've been with him for ten years, darling! Effie giggled.

"Is it rude of me to say it's ten years too long?" Portia smirked, taking a sip of her wine. "No, I'm definitely joking. Although he's lucky I still love him so much after what he did for our anniversary while we were in Vegas this week."

"Oh no…" Effie tried to hide her laughter. "What did he do?"

"Well, there's a restaurant I've always dreamed of going to in Vegas and I thought 'you know, perhaps he's booked us a table there as a surprise'…"

"Oh, don't tell me…"

"He told me he'd booked, but he'd actually forgotten to book," Portia sighed. "We ended up eating food from room service on our anniversary because he couldn't get us a table at any other restaurant."

"You're serious?!" Effie gasped.

"Mm. Let me tell you, the lingerie I bought on our most recent shopping trip did not see the light of day that night."

"Good for you," Effie giggled, shaking her head. "Save it for a time when he truly deserves it."

"If ever…" Portia smirked before bursting into laughter, which in turn set Effie off too.

xXx

"So…" Portia smirked, propping her chin on her hands as she looked over at Effie. "Tell me…do you think he'll be good in bed?"

The women had finished their first bottle of wine and were well into their second, the alcohol turning their conversation into fits of giggles.

"I can't answer that," Effie responded, her cheeks burning. "But I…I imagine he would be. He seems to be very good with his hands…"

"Oh?" Portia's eyes were wide, the smirk still playing on her lips.

"Well, I told you he's a cop," Effie shrugged, refilling her own glass and taking a sip. "It's a very…hands-on job. He must be good."

"You're so going to tell me everything about it when it happens," Portia winked.

"Don't be ridiculous," Effie smirked, her words slightly slurred. "I am a lady and ladies don't…kiss and tell."

"I'll just get you drunk and you can tell me. You've already told me everything about him since we opened that second bottle."

"Oh, hush," Effie giggled. "You know I tell you everything. Just not what goes on in my bedroom."

"You'll be fantasising about those _amazing_ blue eyes," Portia teased, making Effie flush an even darker shade of pink. "And those hands all over you."

"Be quiet," Effie pouted, but little did Portia know, she was right.

xXx

Portia left close to midnight and only then did Effie check her phone, smiling when she saw she had an earlier message from Haymitch waiting.

 **22:15PM  
[Message received: Haymitch] **_Hey. You still good for Sunday?_

It took Effie a few minutes to coordinate herself enough in her tipsy haze to message back. Even then, she had no control with what she typed.

 **23:57PM  
[Message sent: Haymitch] **O course. Cnt wait 2 see those eyes of yours.

Minutes later, her phone pinged with another message.

 **00:01AM  
[Message received: Haymitch] **_My eyes? Are you drunk, sweetheart?_

 **00:02AM  
[Message sent: Haymitch] **Of course not. Ladies don't drink.

 **00:03AM  
[Message received: Haymitch] **_Sure they don't. Drink some water and get some rest. I'll see ya Sunday. H x_

With a smile on her lips over how caring he'd been to her, she followed his instructions and went to bed, finally allowing the alcohol to pull her into unconsciousness. **  
**


	10. Day 10- November 20th

_Welcome to the belated day 10 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown!_

 _This (very short filler) chapter was due yesterday, but I was away and too tired to post it when I got home last night! So...expect day 11 (today's) right after I post this._

 _Enjoy!_

 **NOVEMBER 20** **TH**

"So…what are your Thanksgiving plans?"

Effie's tone was bright and optimistic, which was the exact opposite of Haymitch's mood. They'd arranged to meet for coffee and Haymitch had woken up that morning truly not wanting to go. The days were creeping closer and closer to the anniversary of the event which had caused him to run away from DC in the first place and he truly felt like he was slowly losing his grip.

Effie was a good thing to focus on at least, if only for a little while.

"Goin' back to DC," he said gruffly, sipping his coffee. He was craving something stronger, but he refused to bow to that urge.

"Oh!" Effie grinned. "You'll be staying with your parents, I assume?"

The question sent a jolt of pain through his body as if he'd been physically stabbed, and he knew by the look on Effie's face that his wince had been obvious.

The day his girl was taken from him was the same day he'd lost his parents and his brother. Those four tragedies in one period still killed him each and every day, but it was something he intended to keep hidden from Effie. He didn't need to burden her with his own traumas.

"Somethin' like that, yeah," he gave her a small smile which she quickly returned. "What about you?"

"Oh, my parents are visiting me here," she smiled brightly. "And my sister, of course. Even though she hates Thanksgiving."

"Sounds like she hates everything," he smirked, slowly beginning to feel more at ease. "Yeah, definitely shoulda dated your sister."

"She doesn't hate _everything,_ " Effie rolled her eyes, sipping her tea. "She's just…unenthusiastic. And who said we were dating? Perhaps I just enjoy your company."

"You enjoy it so much, you keep asking to see me," he winked. "You also love my eyes."

Effie groaned, making it obvious she'd wished Haymitch would forget.

"My friend got me drunk…" she murmured. "My…my words were not intentional…"

"Drunk?" He teased. "You said that ladies don't drink. That mean you ain't a lady?"

"Oh hush," Effie sighed, but her cheeks were definitely flushing a light shade of pink at his comment. That was something else Haymitch truly enjoyed about Effie- she blushed at the slightest provocation and in his mind, it was adorable.

"For real though, Effie," he said, staring down at his coffee. "I'm…comfortable to admit that we're properly dating. If you are, of course…"

"As long as you promise to never mention my drunken texts again…" she said, pointing a perfectly manicured finger in his direction. "And promise not to make advances towards my sister."

"Promise," he winked, before an idea struck him. "Hey listen…I leave town on the 23rd. We should…do somethin' on the 22nd. If you're free, I mean."

"I work till five," Effie said with a tiny smile. "But we could perhaps go out to dinner? As our own little Thanksgiving celebration?"

"Yeah, I'd like that," he nodded.

Little did he know, that thanksgiving date would never happen.


	11. Day 11- November 22nd

_Welcome to day 11 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown!_

 _As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 _Also, just to clarify, chapters in normal text are present and chapters in italics are past._

 _Enjoy!_

 **NOVEMBER 22ND**  
He could feel the darkness crushing him from the moment he woke up that morning, the same darkness he felt that day every year. Instead of reaching for his coffee that morning, he reached for the bottle of whiskey he kept hidden under his bed. He was supposed to be meeting Effie that evening, but as the minutes ticked by, he slipped further and further away from the idea. He'd suggested the date to distract himself, but what a terrible idea that had been.

* * *

 _The sound of the phone ringing woke Haymitch up and he reached over, grabbing the receiver and battling with the tangled cord before he brought it to his ear._

" _Hello?" He said groggily, rubbing his face tiredly with his free hand._

" _Mitchy?" A woman's voice. "It's mama. We're on our way to you now. We should be there by lunchtime. Is that okay with you?"_

 _Instantly, Haymitch's mood softened and he managed a tiny smile as he nodded, forgetting the fact that it was barely 6am._

" _Sure. Is Rose there already?"_

 _All Haymitch heard was fumbling at the end of the line, before Rose's voice could be heard._

" _Haymitch!" She babbled excitedly. "Oh, I've missed you so much! I can't wait to see you!"_

 _The pair hadn't seen eachother since September, when Haymitch had left home to start his training in the military. He'd known he'd wanted to train since he was a young boy and, now that he was sixteen, he was old enough to start. He'd taken the opportunity as soon as it had arisen.  
Now, he was two months into his training and, although he missed his family and girlfriend desperately, he knew his decision was one of the best he'd ever made._

" _Yeah, I miss you too," he smirked. "Listen, mom's letting us go out for dinner together tonight so long as we all eat together for Thanksgiving. You wanna do that?"_

" _You don't even have to ask me," Rose giggled. "I'd love to."_

 _But Haymitch had more plans than to just eat dinner with her. As he listened to her talking the way she always talked, leaving him little room to get a word in edgeways, his eyes fell to the small black box at his bedside. He may only have been young, but he'd been with Rose for two years now and he was planning on asking her to marry him, with the intention of the wedding happening as soon as he was out of training in three years time.  
The ring was simple, but Rose wasn't a girl who liked things too over the top. He knew it would be perfect- he just had to hope she'd say yes._

* * *

The whiskey burned as he swallowed it, but it numbed him slightly. Every single year, he relived that morning word for word, second for second. It was like watching a movie, except this one tore him apart to the point where he physically hurt. Every single memory was etched into his mind and every single one hurt him just as much.

* * *

" _I love you," Rose said for what Haymitch counted to be the fifth time in their ten minute conversation. He could hear his father in the background, hustling the rest of the family- his mother and brother -into the car, signalling that Rose had to end the call right then._

" _Yeah, I love you too," Haymitch murmured, already feeling the familiar butterflies he felt when he knew he would be seeing her that day. Even when they'd been in high school together, he'd gotten that feeling every single morning. "I'll see you real soon, okay?"_

" _Okay," Rose sighed. "See you soon, Mitchybear…"_

 _He couldn't help but groan at the stupid nickname she'd given him, but he still smiled as he hung up the call. With that, he got up and dressed, heading out for his morning training._

* * *

Haymitch staggered from his bed after he'd finished the bottle. The alcohol had helped, but not enough. Still, the words echoed in his brain, almost screaming at him. He knew no amount of alcohol would truly quieten them.

* * *

 _1pm and there was still no sign of them._

 _Haymitch paced anxiously at the entrance to the training centre, his eyes always fixed on the end of the dirt road leading up to it. You could always tell when there was a vehicle approaching, because the wheels kicked up clouds of dust which were visible before the vehicle even crested the hill in the road. But he still hadn't seen a thing._

Traffic, _he told himself, refusing to let himself panic. The journey from DC to Charlotte was a little under 6 hours. It was perfectly plausible._

 _The minutes ticked by and there was still no sign._

 _Just after 2pm, a soldier approached Haymitch, a serious look on his face. Haymitch instantly rationalised he was in trouble for not being inside the perimeter of the training camp._

" _Mr. Abernathy, would you come with me please?"_

 _Haymitch frowned. They knew he had the afternoon off for his family._

 _With a nod, he followed the man inside, being invited to the office._

 _There, he was met with two police officers and it was right then that he knew._

" _Mr. Abernathy," one of the police officers said, a sombre tone in his voice. "We regret to inform you that there's been an accident."_

 _Haymitch remained silent, his hands finding the back of a chair and clutching it, as if to stop himself falling over._

" _There was only one survivor," the officer continued quietly. "She's in hospital in hospital in Raleigh now. We're going to fly you there now."_

 _The realisation made Haymitch throw up right there on the floor. It was either his mother or Rose, and he could surmise that whoever it was not expected to survive due to the fact that he was to be flown there instead of a two hour drive._

" _W-who..?" He whispered, ignoring the woman who'd obviously just been called in, who was dabbing the vomit from his shoes._

" _I believe they said her name is Rose," the officer said._

* * *

Haymitch made it downstairs eventually, only just managing to make himself a strong coffee despite the fact his hands were shaking. The anniversary was like one long panic attack for him, but he was slowly learning to gain some degree of control over it.

Up until ten years ago, he couldn't even drag himself out of bed. He still always insisted on having the day off work, knowing he wouldn't be able to function. Perhaps in a few years, he'd be able to work today. But not yet.

* * *

 _The flight from the training camp to the hospital took just under an hour, but it felt like a lifetime to him. His gaze was fixed on the horizon, one hand in his pocket, closed around the box. He'd brought it with him because he wanted her to have it now, whether she was going to survive or not. He already knew it would be the latter._

 _When they arrived, Haymitch was taken into a small side-room by a nurse, who explained what had happened._

" _They'd just driven into the city when they hit the truck," she explained gently. "The truck driver was intoxicated and on the wrong side of the road. He hit them almost head on, coming from the north-east side of them. That's how Rose was the only one to make it out alive, but-"_

 _Haymitch knew what was coming next._

" _At present, her chances of survival are at five percent," the nurse continued. "Scans have shown that her brain is severely damaged, to the point that if she were to survive, she truly wouldn't be there."_

 _All Haymitch could manage was a nod, before he stood up._

" _Take me to her."_

* * *

He ended up adding a good amount of whiskey to his coffee, to the point where each mouthful made him wince. It still wasn't enough to hide the next part of his recollection of that day. Yes, it was like a movie- a movie he couldn't turn off no matter which button he pressed.

* * *

 _Even under all the wires, she still looked like her. In fact, if it hadn't been for the wires, Haymitch would have thought she was just sleeping._

 _He sat down in the chair beside her bed and took her hand in his, pressing a kiss to the back of it._

" _Rosie…" he murmured. "It's me."_

 _She didn't move. Haymitch only saw the slight movements of her chest, but he knew that it was a machine doing the work for her._

" _I…brought you something," he mumbled after several minutes of silence, reaching into his pocket and taking out the ring box. He opened it up and showed the simple diamond ring to her, even though he knew she wouldn't see. "It ain't much, but it's all I could afford."_

 _Slowly, he slid the ring onto her finger, trying to fight back the tears threatening to spill over._

" _When…when you make it out of this, I'll get you something better…" he breathed, knowing the idea would never come to fruition. "I love you…shit, Rosie, I love you…"_

 _He was interrupted by the sudden loud beep of the heart monitor and he knew she was gone._

 _Doctors rushed in to try and revive her. Haymitch stood pressed into the corner of the room, unable to do anything._

 _After five minutes, it was over. They declared the time of her death as 4:18PM._

 _Haymitch was allowed to stay with her after all the wires and machines had been removed, but this time, he didn't speak. Not even when Rose's parents arrived. They tried to speak with him, offer him their comfort. But he knew they were suffering too, so he simply hugged them both and left them to say goodbye to their daughter in privacy._

 _He was taken to see his parents and his brother after that, bidding goodbye to every single one. They'd obviously been cleaned up, because each of them looked like they were just sleeping. It didn't make it any easier._

 _The next few weeks were spent in darkness, Haymitch giving up on his training to go back home. He moved in with Mags, who had always been like a grandmother to him._

 _He'd lost everything in a flash and he wasn't sure if he'd be able to handle it._

* * *

He still had the ring box in a dark corner of his closet. Naturally, the ring had stayed with Rose, being buried with her at the funeral. But for some reason, he couldn't part with the box. It was like it was all he had left of her.

He'd tried hard not to drink so much that day, but he was slowly failing. It was creeping closer to five pm, the time he would be meeting Effie but, by 4pm, he was out of it.

All he managed to do was send Effie a simple text of 'I'm sorry' before he passed out on the couch, the bottle of whiskey clutched in his hand.


	12. Day 12- November 24th

_Welcome to day 12 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown! As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 _Enjoy!_

 **November 24** **th**

Over the past day, Haymitch had tried desperately to contact Effie. She hadn't responded to the text he'd sent her the night he'd drank himself to unconsciousness and it made him hate himself more and more.

He'd met with Chaff the following morning, hungover to hell. For the first time in their long friendship, Chaff had been angry with him

"You're a _fucking_ idiot, Haymitch," the man had growled. "A real fucking idiot."

"Tell me somethin' I don't already know," Haymitch had responded.

He truly closed in on himself and, when he arrived in DC, he'd booked into a motel for the night instead of going to stay with Mags like he'd intended, after calling her and explaining he wasn't good company.

On the morning of the 24th, he'd pulled up outside of Mags' house and knocked on the front door. He'd expected her to turn him away, but instead, she'd pulled him into as tight an embrace as her frail arms could manage.

"You stupid boy," she mumbled, taking his arm and pulling him inside.

Soon, they were sat down, each clutching a mug of tea.

"'M sorry," Haymitch sighed. "Just…ain't had the best couple days is all."

"What happened?" Mags asked. Obviously, she was aware of the significance of this time of year, but even she could tell that his heartache extended beyond that.

"Remember I told you about Effie?" He mumbled, looking up at her.

"The department store girl?"

"Yeah. I uh…I fucked up with-"

"Mind your mouth, boy."

"Sorry…I messed up real bad with her," he grumbled. "Thought I'd be smart and arrange to meet her on the 22nd. Figured I could use the distraction."

"You drank again, didn't you…" Mags sighed, shaking her head.

"Yeah…I jus'…couldn't handle it. The memories were too strong and I couldn't ignore 'em."

Being truly open and honest with people wasn't a thing Haymitch was known for- even Chaff didn't know the full extent of what had happened 20 years ago. But Mags…he'd known her since he was born. She was there for him his entire life, even to this day. In Haymitch's mind, she was the only person in the world he was certain he loved. If it hadn't been for her becoming like a mother to him, he would have been even more of a lost cause than he already was.

"Why didn't you call me?" Mags frowned. "You could have came to me a day earlier. You should have, Haymitch."

"Mags, I…" he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm tryin' so hard to...regain control of that day. I don't wanna be a burden on you."

He didn't want to say why, but they both knew. Mags was coming up to 80 years old and had a plethora of problems of her own to deal with, the most recent being a stroke which had rendered her almost unable to use the left side of her body and struggling with her speech. Haymitch had spent several weeks living with her after it had happened, but she'd eventually forced him back to New York. She'd told him he needed to go and live his life and not to focus on a frail old lady like her.  
Haymitch was still uneasy with being so far away, but he didn't want to hurt her by going against her wishes. Mags was very much like him in the sense that she preferred to struggle through life alone.

"You wouldn't be a burden on me," Mags retorted with a frown. "You're my son, Haymitch, not biologically, but you're my son. You know that. It's my job to make sure you're okay."

"I am," he sighed heavily, before managing a small smile. "I'm just…mad at myself for hurting Effie. She wont talk to me now."

"You have a lot of grovelling to do," Mags warned him. "Women don't do well with having their hearts broken. Now, I'd best be finishing up making dinner. I'll curse myself if I burn that turkey."

xXx

Mags always tended to go to bed early, her medications knocking her out by 9pm. That resulted in Haymitch being left alone to watch TV. He found some old Christmas movie on TV and was just getting somewhat lost in it when his phone vibrated in his pocket. Sliding it out, he hit the answer button and brought it up to his ear.

"Hello?" He grunted.

"Haymitch," a familiar voice was on the other end of the line.

"Effie?" He breathed, unwilling to believe it was her.

"How has your thanksgiving been?" She asked. He couldn't help but notice she wasn't as chirpy as usual.

"Effie…I know why you're calling," he sighed, waving off her question. "Just tell me I'm a piece of shit and that you don't want us to do what we've been doing. That's the least I deserve."

"I'm calling to tell you quite the opposite, actually."

"What do you mean?"

"Chaff told me everything. About what happened to make you drink that day."

"Effie-"

"I'm calling to apologise," she said quietly. "I've treated you terribly when I should have been there for you."

"What did he tell you?" Haymitch murmured, already dreading the answer and silently planning Chaff's murder. It wasn't his place to tell.

"Only that it was an anniversary of someone's death," Effie responded quickly. "That's all. I promise."

Haymitch relaxed a little at that. He decided he'd let it slide for now.

"Okay," he said. "I'm…are you sure you still want this?"

"Of course," Haymitch could hear the smile in her voice. "I…I think we work well together and I truly would like to pursue this if you do too."

"Yeah," he nodded, not ready to lose one of the only good things in his life. "Listen, I'm home on the 25th but not till late. What do you say to lunch on the 26th?"

"I'd love that very much," she giggled. "So long as I survive working Black Friday."

"Pretty certain you will," he grinned. "You scare me shitless sometimes with the amount of talkin' you do. Use that as a weapon."

"You're an idiot," she giggled. "I'll see you on Saturday, then. Happy thanksgiving, Haymitch."

"You too, Effie," he smiled before hanging up, the feeling of hope slowly filling his heart once more.


	13. Day 13- November 26th

_Welcome to day 13 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown! As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 _It's official, everyone! We're past the halfway point with this fic and I'm honestly so pleased that I've managed to keep going with it for so long. I just want to thank every single person who's read it, particularly those who have taken the time to post reviews. Little things like that have truly driven me to keep going._

 _This chapter isn't fantastic, because I'm writing it while sick. But I didn't want to let people down and not post anything. And anyway, tomorrow's chapter is what can only be described as the_ _ **big one.**_ __ _Perhaps not the biggest in length (day 10 was a party at almost 2000 words), but it's definitely a very major event in Hayffie's budding relationship, so stick around for that!_

 _Enjoy!_

 **November 26** **th**

She'd begged to meet him at the airport the day before, telling him she could always take an hour out of her holiday time to pick him up. But naturally, he refused to let her lose money she could earn.

Instead, he'd called her the second he got home and the pair had talked late into the night. It was strange how easily they'd slipped back into their old methods of conversation, as if he hadn't almost lost her for good four days ago.

Still, he knew he needed to make it up to her. And knowing Effie's apparent love of Christmas, he had the perfect idea.

xXx

"You survived Black Friday then?" Haymitch smirked as they walked down the street towards the restaurant they'd chosen to eat at that lunchtime. It was a nice place, somewhere neither of them had been before.

"I did," Effie nodded with that adorable smile of hers. Haymitch cursed himself for letting himself start to fall for her so quickly. "But only just."

"Shoulda waited to buy that necklace for Mags," he shrugged.

"No, that particular jewellery collection was one of the few that didn't go down in price."

"You woulda given me a discount though, right?" He winked, nudging her.

"It depends," she fired back. "I mean, if you hadn't came back for that necklace the day after we first met, we most likely wouldn't have been dating right now."

Even though Haymitch had been the one to suggest they class themselves as such, hearing it still sounded so alien to him. He'd never let himself get this close to anyone in the past 20 years but somehow, it felt more right than anything he'd done in his life.

xXx

"You're staring," Effie observed as they ate, a tiny smile on her lips.

"Huh?" Haymitch blinked twice, having been snapped out of his daydream.

"You keep staring. I don't know if you realise you're doing it."

"Sorry…" he mumbled, but he was smiling too by this point.

Things with Effie felt so easy and he truly didn't feel embarrassed that he'd been caught staring. She was a good thing to stare at.

"I'll forgive you for now," she giggled.

"That reminds me…" he murmured, sliding an envelope out of his pocket and holding it out to her.

Inside, there was a flyer for the tree lighting ceremony at the Rockefeller Centre, along with two tickets for one of the VIP booths available there.

"If you're free on the 30th, I'd love you to go with me," he smirked, watching her expression as she looked between the tickets in her hand and his face. "Otherwise, I gotta take Chaff with me and, if I'm bein' honest, you're much better company."

"Haymitch…" Effie breathed, clearly overwhelmed. "How did you..?"

"Us…public service workers get first pick," he shrugged. "I know you love Christmas and I also know I need to apologise for bein' a piece of shit so…"

He was cut off when she leaned across the table, her lips finding his. She'd pulled away before he'd even had the chance to kiss her back.

"Take it that's a yes, huh?" He grinned.

"Of course it is, you stupid man…" she mumbled, her cheeks flushed pink. "And I'm…I'm sorry for kissing you. That was perhaps a little too excitable of me."

"You're good," he shrugged, sitting back a little with a smirk. "I'm surprised you didn't do that earlier."

"Don't get cocky," she giggled. "I can still reject the date you've just offered to me."

"You wouldn't," he teased. "Besides, it's probably the most romantic thing I'll ever do for ya. Don't waste the opportunity."

"Oh, I wont," she giggled. "Seeing the tree lighting is something I've dreamed of since I was a little girl…I wanted to go this year but I missed out on tickets."

"Guess it's your lucky day," he grinned. "I can pick you up and drive us. I can still park in the police station, which is a couple blocks away. It starts at seven, so should I pick you up at six? Gives us time to settle in and get some drinks."

"That sounds perfect to me, darling," she smiled, before slowly reaching out and taking his hand in hers. "You have no idea how much this means to me, Haymitch. It's truly a dream come true."

"Well, I figured I had to go big or go home," he shrugged. "Ain't about to lose you."


	14. Day 14- November 30th

_Welcome to day 14 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown! As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 _Here we go guys, the chapter I've been most excited to write and publish! I think this was the first idea I actually had when I was planning this story, so it was a lot of fun to write!_

 _Warning- there is a little smut ahead, but nothing_ _ **too**_ _graphic._

 _Enjoy!_

 **November 30** **th**

Haymitch drummed his fingers on the steering wheel impatiently as he waited in his car outside her apartment block. It was his own fault, really. He'd arrived early and now, despite the fact it wasn't even 6pm yet, he was tired of waiting.

As he sat in the car, his mind began to wander, mainly to their kiss four days ago. It was only a peck and it was done in a moment of excitement and thankfulness on Effie's part, but something about it felt so natural, like they'd kissed a thousand times before that. It made Haymitch crave more.

His thoughts were interrupted when the passenger side door was pulled open and Effie climbed in, clad in that faux-fur coat she'd worn on several occasions that they'd been out together.

"You're early," Haymitch smirked after glancing at his watch and seeing that it was 5:57PM.

"I could say the same about you, darling," Effie fired back quickly as she pulled her seatbelt on. "I heard you pull up fifteen minutes ago. Eager, are we?"

"Nah," he shrugged, starting up the car and pulling out of the parking spot he was in. "I was finished getting' ready, so I left early. Dunno how, since this suit is a bitch."

"You're wearing a suit?!" Effie gasped as if she were witnessing a breakthrough in human history.

"Yeah. Figured I'd make an effort. Lucky I don't plan on takin' this coat off tonight."

"You truly are an idiot, do you know that?" She shook her head fondly.

"So you keep telling me."

xXx

The street was packed with thousands of spectators, but Haymitch and Effie were out of reach in their private viewing box opposite the currently unlit tree. Usually, Haymitch hated luxury, but the VIP areas came with heaters and unlimited supplies of champagne. And everything was made even better by the fact he had Effie right there beside him, nestled into his side.

When the ceremony began, he was watching her more than the people who came on the stage. He enjoyed seeing how awestruck she was by the several musical performers who sang. Pouring a glass of champagne, he pressed it into her hand.

"You enjoyin' it?" He asked her with a smile as the mayor took to the stage.

"It's…so very magical…" she sighed dreamily, taking a sip of her champagne. "Thank you for all of this, Haymitch."

"Don't thank me," he shook his head. "I…wanted to come here too. But only wi' you."

Suddenly, she was kissing him again but this time, she didn't pull back instantly, giving Haymitch a chance to kiss her back and fully appreciate how her lips felt on his. They were soft but insistent, parted delicately on his and inviting him to deepen the kiss, which he did. He could taste the champagne on her tongue and it was driving him crazy, making him want more. He'd only just slid his arms around her waist when the cheering crowd below broke the dream they were in.

"Oh…oh no…" Effie breathed, her eyes fixed on the brightly lit tree. "Haymitch, we missed it…"

"Huh?" He frowned, following her gaze to the tree. A smirk slowly formed on his lips. "Well, if you hadn't kissed me…"

"Idiot," she grumbled, folding her arms across her chest.

"Shit, are you pissed at me?" He teased. "Guess I'll have to find someone else to go ice skating with in front of the tree tonight."

"You're joking," Effie huffed, but her scowl softened a little.

"Nu uh," he shook his head. "Part of the package. We oughta make our way down there if we wanna be there for our time slot.

xXx

"Don't you dare let go of me…" Effie squeaked, clinging to his hands as they stepped onto the ice.

"I wont…I promise," he smirked as he slowly guided her. He hadn't ice skated in years and even then, his only experience was the occasional birthday party or family outing when he was a kid.

There was definitely a chill in the air now and, although he hated the suit he was wearing under his thick grey coat, he was glad of the layers it provided him. He was even more glad of his current situation when Effie pulled herself to him, wrapping her arms around his middle.

"Don't tell me you're cold in that thing," he smirked in reference to her coat.

"No, I'm just scared of falling," she responded.

"Effie, you walk around in high heels every damn day," he rolled his eyes, only just now realising he was seeing her at pretty much her true height for the first time now that she'd discarded her high-heeled boots for the ice skates. She was a lot shorter than he was and Haymitch cursed himself for finding it so adorable.

"This is different," she huffed, but clung to him tighter. After a moment, she suddenly squealed loudly. "Oh, this is my favourite song!"

Haymitch hadn't even noticed the music until now.

 _It was Christmas Eve, babe…_

"Dance with me…" Effie whispered up at him.

"I don't-" but already she was nudging him, pulling away slightly to hold his hands again. Haymitch had no choice but to move with her.

The music was loud and Haymitch was certain they'd done it just for this song. He couldn't have been so lost in her that he hadn't noticed the music before, right?

 _I've got a feeling_ _t_ _his year's for me and you…_

The smile on her face as he pulled her around the ice was almost as magical as the feeling she gave him in his heart. He'd never seen such happiness from anyone, not in all the years he'd been alone.

 _You were handsome_ _, y_ _ou were pretty, queen of New York City…_

He was completely lost in her blue eyes now, still guiding her as he held her tiny hands in his. He would have leaned in to kiss her if he hadn't slipped, falling hard on his back and pulling her down on top of him.

"Fuck, are you okay?" He breathed, looking up at her, but her giggles told a different story as she got up, pulling him back to his feet. Once he was up, he'd expected her to beg him to dance with her some more. The song was still playing from the speakers around them, but apparently, she had other ideas.

Her lips were on his once more and he let himself melt against her, not caring that there were dozens of people skating around them.

 _The boys of the NYPD choir still singing "Galway Bay", and the bells are ringing out for Christmas Day…_

xXx

They barely made it back to her apartment before he was fumbling to get her out of her dress- the same pink one she'd worn on one of their previous dates.

"Be careful…" Effie breathed, her fingers tangled in his hair as he kissed down her neck. She'd somehow managed to get him down to her bedroom and wrestle him out of the coat he'd been so adamant to keep on all evening.

"I'm tryin'," he growled, eventually locating the zipper and tugging it down. In the meantime, she'd gotten him out of his suit jacket and was in the process of unbuttoning his shirt.

He picked her up and dropped her on the bed, crawling over her and peppering her lingerie-clad body with kisses, feeling his blood rush south at the tiny moans she was letting out.

It wasn't long before she was begging for him and, after she'd successfully found a condom and gotten it onto him, she guided him into her.

Neither of them lasted long, but it was still just as passionate as it would have been if they'd taken their time. They could take time to get to know one another's preferences at a later date. Tonight had been a case of the pair being too desperate for one another. But it felt right. It felt like… _them._

Afterwards, he collapsed beside her, completely spent. As she nestled into his chest, he slung an arm around her middle, brushing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Stay with me…" she whispered, the sleepiness obvious in her voice.

"Ain't goin' anywhere, Effie," he murmured back, a fond smile on his lips.

And sure enough, he remained there with her, holding her close as he had the first peaceful night sleep in years.


	15. Day 15- December 1st

_Welcome to day 15 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown! As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 _A quick question for my readers- would you like tomorrow's chapter to be a full smut chapter? We still need to have them spending a bit more time exploring one another's preferences so…let me know if that's something you guys would want!_

 _Enjoy!_

 **December 1** **st**

The faint floral smell of perfume was the first thing Haymitch noticed when he woke up the following morning. Opening his eyes, he sleepily looked at the room around him, a smile playing on his lips when he remembered the previous night.

Rolling over, he found Effie's side of the bed empty, but the sounds coming from downstairs told him of her location. Getting up, he found his discarded boxers on the floor beside the bed, so he tugged them on and followed the sounds.

He found her in the kitchen, wearing his shirt. The hem just skimmed her thighs and he felt no shame in staring at the hint of her ass that the shirt gave him. Walking over, he slid his arms around her from behind, propping his chin on her shoulder.

"You don't get to tell me to stay," he mumbled, pressing a kiss to her neck. "And then leave me as soon as you wake up the next morning."

"Good morning to you too," she smiled, her hands still fumbling with the coffee maker. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mm," he nodded. "Did you?"

"Of course," she smiled, setting the coffee down and turning in his arms to peck his lips. "I hope you don't mind me taking your shirt…I just found the first thing and put it on."

"S'alright," he shrugged. "Feel like I oughta get used to you takin' my clothes."

At that, he winked, stealing another kiss before he stepped away.

"You want some help?" He asked.

"No," she shook her head. "I thought perhaps we could go out for breakfast after we've had coffee."

"Sure," he smiled. "Jus' let me head home first to change. Ain't about to do a damn walk of shame around New York City wearin' last night's clothes."

xXx

They ended up going to the bakery Effie had pointed out to Haymitch that first day they'd been out together. It wasn't far from Haymitch's apartment so, after he'd gotten changed, they'd walked hand-in-hand to the small shop, heading inside.

After they'd sat down, a young boy came over to take their order. Haymitch just ordered another coffee for himself, not feeling particularly hungry. Effie, on the other hand, ordered a tea and a plate of various pastries.

"This is the most I've ever seen you eat," he teased once the boy had headed back behind the counter.

"Oh, trust me, darling," she said, pointing a finger at him. "That boy makes the most wonderful pastries and I'm fully intent on you trying some."

"I told ya I'm not hungry, Effie," he groaned.

"Don't be a child," she warned him, before smiling when the boy came back over with the drinks and pastries. "Oh, thank you, my darling…Peeta, may I introduce you to my good friend Haymitch?"

"Oh, you're the man who's been making her so happy, then?" Peeta grinned, holding out a hand which Haymitch shook.

"Guess so," Haymitch shrugged. "Unless she's got another man on the go. I ain't really done much to make her happy."

"Oh, hush," Effie rolled her eyes, before looking back up at Peeta, a smile on her lips. "He's a little grumpy sometimes."

Peeta smirked, giving them their privacy and heading back behind the counter.

"You know the kid?" Haymitch murmured, reluctantly stealing a pastry from her plate. They looked too good for him to resist. "He your secret son or somethin'?"

"Don't be ridiculous," she shook her head. "I come here every day before work to get my breakfast. He's truly a sweetheart. I feel…obliged to take care of him, I suppose."

"What d'ya mean?"

"Well, he…" she leaned in, lowering his voice a little. "He lost both his parents a few months ago. But he's kept the shop going. He's such a strong young man."

The story most definitely resonated with Haymitch and he sat back, looking over at the boy. He couldn't have been much older than sixteen…the same age Haymitch had been when he'd suffered the same tragedy.

"Haymitch?" Effie asked with concern in her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Sure," he took a deep breath. Then and there, he decided he needed to be honest with Effie. He could see how much she cared about him and it eased his mind a little. He owed it to her to tell her of the extra baggage he came with. "Let's take a walk."

XXx

"Haymitch, I…" there were tears in her eyes by the time he'd finished telling her what had happened- the story of how he lost everything he loved in an instant. His past was laid bare for her now, with nothing else to hide. Nothing aside from the serious self-blame he shrouded himself in every single day. That was something he wasn't willing to delve into for a long time yet.

"Wish I could be like that kid," he mumbled, clutching his coffee which he'd had transferred to a takeout cup when they'd decided to leave early. "It's been 20 years and, half the time, I still don't know what the fuck I'm doin'."

He felt her hand go to his arm, squeezing it tightly.

"If you…if you ever need me," she murmured. "You know where to find me. I…I care about you, Haymitch. I want you to be happy."

"I wasn't happy before," he said, already wincing at his own words. "Not until you came along…I…fuck, Effie, look what you're doin' to me…"

That made her smile and she leaned up to kiss him, before she nestled into his side as they sat there on the bench in a nearby park.

"I intend to make you happy for a long time," she mumbled, and Haymitch didn't argue.

In fact, he didn't even grumble when he was at home that evening and his phone lit up with a notification, telling him Effie had sent him a relationship request on Facebook.

Without a moment's hesitation, he hit 'accept', not even caring that Chaff would be on his back about it when they saw each other again.


	16. Day 16- December 5th

_Welcome to day 16 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown! As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 _Fair warning, there is actual legitimate smut ahead. Like, full on smut. Am I sorry for it? No. If you've noticed that the rating of this fic has gone up to 'M', this is why._

 _Proceed with caution and enjoy!_

 **December 5** **th**

Haymitch hadn't seen Effie since they made their relationship official and truthfully, he missed her. Both of them were working in the days since, Effie working days whilst Haymitch did his monthly night shifts. But as soon as they both had time off, they'd arranged to spend an evening together at Haymitch's apartment. The location of their evening was Effie's suggestion, citing that she _truly must_ see where her man lived.

On the day in question, Haymitch stood in his living room, his hands propped on his hips as he scowled at the mess as if that would make the place tidy itself.

As a man who'd lived alone in his apartment for fifteen years, he'd never seen the point of keeping the place tidy. No one aside from Chaff would see it, anyway. Not until now.

He started out gathering the dishes he'd left around the room, carrying them into the kitchen and dumping them into the sink of hot water. He'd worry about those later. Then, he began the task of gathering up his clothes, books, cushions and various other items that lay scattered around the house. It wasn't dirty by any means, just an organised chaos.

It took him six hours in total, but he was glad when the place was in a somewhat acceptable state. With a sigh, he settled on the couch, allowing himself a little time to relax before Effie's arrival at seven pm.

He must have fallen asleep, because he jolted upright at the brisk knocking at his door.

"Comin'," he grunted, shuffling out into the hall and opening the front door.

"Hello," Effie smiled a smile which told Haymitch she was up to something, before she leaned up to peck his lips briefly. "You were sleeping."

"Observant," he responded, but couldn't hide his smile as he led her inside. "Want me to take your coat?"

She responded by turning to face him, shedding the coat and revealing that she was-

"You're naked," he murmured, his eyes shamelessly scanning her body. He hadn't truly appreciated her the night they slept together. He'd definitely missed out, he knew that now.

"Yes, well done," she smiled coyly, handing him the coat and the bag.

"You…drove here like that?" He questioned, his eyes still fixed on her bare body as he hung up her coat and set her bag down in the hall. Already, he could feel his blood rushing south.

"No, I stripped in the elevator," she rolled her eyes. "Of course I did. I wanted to surprise you."

"Well, you were successful in that regard," he said, a smirk slowly forming. "You're eager to get started, are you?"

She answered him by sauntering over to him, trailing a finger down his chest as she smirked up at him. Only then did he notice the stilettos she was wearing and somehow it made the entire scenario hotter.

"Aren't you?" She purred, brushing her lips along his jawline as her hand travelled south.

He wasn't sure what happened but, seconds later, she was on her knees in front of him, her hands eagerly tugging down his pants. He let out a groan when her hand closed around him.

"Fuck, Effie…" he looked down at her, stroking her hair. This was a side of her he'd never anticipated, but he'd be damned if he complained. Even more damned now that he felt her mouth around his tip and saw her blue eyes fixed on his as she worked the magic he didn't know she possessed. The moans leaving her also added to his pleasure and, within minutes, he was losing control.

He let out a hiss when she pulled back and he picked her up, swiftly pinning her to the wall and kissing her hard.

"No," she shook her head, placing her fingers over his lips and making him frown. "Take me to bed, Haymitch."

He did just that, tumbling onto the bed with her and hovering over her, looking into her eyes.

"You gonna let me return the favour?" He murmured, kissing a trail down her neck.

"If that's what you want, darling…" she breathed, her fingers already winding into his hair and urging him downwards.

Despite her insistence, he took his time kissing over her body, paying particular attention to her breasts. He'd never noticed how perfect they were, easily fitting his palms, particularly as she arched her back against him. He replaced his fingers with his tongue, teasing at her nipple while one hand travelled south, squeezing the inside of her thigh. He wanted to tease her before he truly gave her what she was craving.

When his mouth was finally between her legs, he was almost certain she was going to scalp him. Her grip on his hair had been tight to begin with but, as soon as he'd trailed his tongue over her wetness for the first time, her grip was bordering on painful. However, it spurred him on.

His hands kept a grip on her thighs as his lips and tongue worked her into a frenzy and it made him moan to feel how she fell apart into a shaking mess at his treatment.

Crawling back up her body, he smirked as he saw how flushed her face was in the aftermath of her orgasm. He opened his mouth to speak, but he was silenced when she yanked him down into a hard kiss, her free hand grasping him and guiding him into her after he'd located a condom in his side table and rolled it on.

Things felt different tonight, but he knew it was because they were truly ready for one another. There was no awkward fumbling, no uncertainty. One look in her eyes seconds after he'd entered her told him she was ready and he began to thrust deeply inside her, one hand gripping her hip whilst the other supported his weight beside her head.

It was slower than their first time, neither of them truly wanting to up the pace. Tonight was about exploration and enjoying one another, as opposed to their first time being an explosion of built-up passion.

Only when he got close to his release did he pick up his pace a little, using his fingers on her for added stimulation. He could feel in the way she tightened around him that she was close too and, sure enough, they fell over the edge into ecstasy within seconds of one another.

He gathered her in his arms afterwards, the sheets and their bodies drenched in sweat.

"If you ever wanna drop by naked again, I wont turn you away," he murmured, brushing the hair out of her face which was plastered to her forehead.

"You've just given me an idea of your Christmas present," she giggled, her fingers painting mindless patterns on his chest.

"I don't do Christmas," he shook his head with a sigh. "I send a gift to Mags and buy Chaff a drink. That's it."

"Are you serious?" Effie sat up and looked at him, a hint of outrage in her expression.

"Yeah," he mumbled. "It's…it's still difficult. This time o' year, I mean."

"Oh…oh darling…" she whispered, cuddling back into him. "I forgot. I'm so very sorry."

"Don't be," he muttered, nosing into her hair as he changed the subject. "What're you doing for Christmas?"

"Working," she sighed. "All day on Christmas Eve and then the day after Christmas. I wanted to go to LA, but they wouldn't give me time off. And my parents are getting too old to be travelling so far just for-"

"Stay here for Christmas," Haymitch burst out suddenly before the thought had even fully formed in his head.

"Don't force yourself to do Christmas on my account, Haymitch," she shook her head.

"I can try," he said. "Maybe it'll be easier to deal with if…you're there…"

"Oh Haymitch…" she whispered, rolling over onto her stomach and kissing him.

As they kissed, he felt more relief wash over him. Effie had only been in his life for 35 days but already, she was changing his outlook. Things seemed to be getting lighter and Haymitch found himself becoming more optimistic.

It was then that he realised he was already falling hard for her, and he wasn't going to stop himself. Not this time.


	17. Day 17- December 7th

_Welcome to (a late) day 17 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown! As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 _Another somewhat shitty and short chapter, but it's once again a case of me being exhausted and not wanting to_ _ **not**_ _post a chapter. So I'm sorry._

 _Also, my publishing on here will be a little spotty until the 21st. I'm working every day so I'll try my best to get chapters out, but can't promise anything. They'll be updated daily on my tumblr (same url as my author name)._

 _Anyway, enjoy._

 **December 7** **th**

Haymitch had ended up spending the entirety of the next day and night with Effie. The shift in their relationship had been a huge one and now, he couldn't get enough of her.

When he woke the following morning, she was still tucked in his arms, her blonde curls splayed out on his bare skin as she nestled into his chest. It was almost painful to wake her up when he knew it was time for them to both get up. They were on similar shifts today, so he had offered to drop her to work on his way. Gently, he nudged her, leaning in to peck her lips and smiling as she sleepily blinked her eyes open.

"Mornin'," he smirked, brushing her hair back. "Time to get up."

"What time is it?" She mumbled, before sitting up and looking at the clock, her eyes going wide. "Oh no…I'm going to be late…"

"You got two hours, Effie," he rolled his eyes, sitting up and wrapping his arms around her from behind, pressing kisses to her neck. "Pretty certain I can fill in fifteen minutes of that…"

"You're an idiot," she huffed, but didn't try and stop him.

xXx

It was an hour later by the time the pair were finally sat at the table eating breakfast. After a long round of morning sex in the bed, they took it to the shower, forgetting the intention of simply going in and washing up.

"This is the most sex I've had in 20 years," he smirked, taking a bite of his toast. "You're gonna break me, Effie."

"Well, if it's going to be an issue, we could always just end things," she fired back with a wink.

"Yeah, no, I ain't fond of that idea," he shook his head quickly, partly terrified she was being serious with her suggestion.

"Then you need to learn to keep up," she teased.

They finished their food and Effie disappeared upstairs to fix her hair and makeup before she rejoined him downstairs.

"Are we ready?" She smiled brightly, taking his hand and leading him out of the apartment.

Ten minutes later, they pulled up a couple of blocks away from Macy's, and Haymitch leaned over to steal a kiss before Effie got out of the car.

"Want me to pick you up tonight?" He asked.

"If you would like to," she nodded with a shy smile, before she leaned in for a long kiss. "I'll see you tonight."

xXx

Chaff descended on him the second he was in his chair in his office.

"Don't you have work to do?" Haymitch rolled his eyes, looking up at the man from his laptop.

"I'm just droppin' by real quick to query this change in relationship status," Chaff grinned. "What's happened since I last saw ya?"

"I…well, we uh…"

"You're tied down for life now, buddy," Chaff smirked. "I can see it already."

"So what if I am?" Haymitch said defensively. "She's…real special. Besides, you're even deeper in relationship shit than I am. So don't start."

"Just forewarnin' ya," Chaff shrugged. "Anyway, tell me…what happened? Ain't seen ya in forever."

"We…went to watch the Rockefeller tree lighting and-"

"Fuck, you're a secret romantic, ain't ya?"

Haymitch growled, but continued regardless. "She ended up coming home wi' me and uh…"

"Damn, Mitch," Chaff grinned. "Well done."

"Wasn't exactly difficult," Haymitch shrugged. "She threw herself at me at that ceremony. We both wanted it."

"I'm surprised you kept your hands off of her for so long," Chaff chuckled.

"Yeah, me too," Haymitch smirked. "She's somethin' else, I'll tell ya that."

"She looks innocent as fuck," Chaff smirked.

"Guess looks can be deceivin', that's all I'm sayin'," Haymitch responded, before going back to his work. "I ain't tellin' you any more. Ain't gonna disrespect her like that."

"Jus' one last thing," Chaff grinned. "Those tits-"

"Even better than you imagined," Haymitch fired back quickly. "Now fuck off."


	18. Day 18- December 10th

_Welcome to day 18 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown! As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 _This is, once again, a short chapter, but it's definitely a fluffy one. I've been so busy today and will be the next few days, but I intend to get a chapter out every day. So I apologise for chapters being short._

 _However, fear not! The end is in sight and I have some really cute things planned for the final few chapters._

 _Once again, I truly apologise for short chapters. It's a difficulty with writing and updating every single day whilst working a full-time job. I know real life takes a priority, but writing is a wonderful stress reliever after a long day working, so I'm okay with writing every day. It helps me focus too, I think._

 _Anyway, here's a third apology for the shortness- sorry!_

 _Enjoy!_

 **December 10** **th**

"You're going to get me _fired_ if you keep coming in here," Effie hissed at Haymitch as he stood there, holding a takeout coffee out to her. He was on his lunch break whilst on patrol on 34th Street and he couldn't resist going to see her.

"Next time, I ain't bringin' you shit, then" Haymitch grinned, pressing the cup into her hand. Shamelessly, his eyes trailed over her body, which was now clad in a festive red dress with white fur trim. "You cheatin' on me with Santa, huh?"

"Be quiet," she huffed, tugging the neckline of the dress up a little. "This is the most…revealing outfit and I think I've ever worn to a job. I feel like all the men are just coming here to buy jewellery just so they can get an eyeful."

"Well, if you need a security guard, I'm trained in that too," he teased. "Just give me a call."

"All you'll be getting is a restraining order, you stupid man," she shook her head.

"As long as Mrs. Claus brings her fine ass to my apartment after she finishes selling jewellery to desperate men, I don't give a shit," he winked, leaning over to steal a brief kiss before he left.

xXx

Sure enough, she showed up at his apartment at 8pm exactly, still clad in that dress. The garment didn't stay on for long, though, because they were at a stage now where they couldn't keep their hands to themselves when they were behind closed doors.

Not that Haymitch was complaining. His infrequent one-night stands over the years had been somewhat sufficient to satisfy him but Effie? He found himself craving her almost every minute of every day.

"You're a damn aphrodisiac, Effie," he murmured as they lay tangled with one another on the couch. They hadn't made it to the bedroom this time.

"Is that such a bad thing, darling?" She giggled, her cheeks still flushed. "I mean, there are worse ways to be driven crazy. I don't irritate you, do I?"

"Well yeah," he smirked. "You're a damn pain in my ass already."

"As your girlfriend, that's my job," she giggled. "Speaking of being your girlfriend and irritating you, I'm taking you Christmas decoration shopping."

"You're what?!"

The idea was absurd to him. It was enough for her to be spending Christmas with him, but decorating his apartment with lights and goodness knows what? Out of the question.

"You heard me," she said, looking up at him.

"Effie, havin' you here is enough," he shook his head. "I don't wanna decorate."

"Do you want me to spend Christmas with you or not?" she sighed. "I just…perhaps we could just purchase a small, simple tree. It could go in the living room window."

"I've known you long enough to know that you don't do small _or_ simple," he rolled his eyes.

"Please?" She blinked up at him with those blue eyes of hers and instantly, he crumbled, giving in to her.

"Alright fine," he muttered. "But just a tree. _Nothing else._ Got it?"

"Just a tree," she repeated, batting her eyes at him. But there was something in her look that told him she would go against his wishes. "When will you be free?"

"Friday and Saturday," he murmured.

"Wonderful," she grinned. "I finish at 12 on Friday, so we can go shopping then. Then I'm free all of Saturday, so we can spend the day-"

"I'm really hopin' you're gonna say 'fucking' instead of 'decorating'."

"Hush, you brute," she gently pawed his chest. "No, we will be decorating and things will be perfect. Just you wait, my darling."

"Already feelin' the excitement," he droned, stealing a kiss to distract her, a smirk playing on his lips.

This discussion with Effie, albeit not to his liking, felt so… _domestic._ Something he never thought he would experience. He'd only seen that kind of a life with Rose and after she'd died, everything had looked lonely and bleak. And that lasted until Effie so rudely interrupted his life just over a month ago.

Maybe decorating for Christmas with her wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.


	19. Day 19- December 12th

_Welcome to Day 19 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown! As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 _Another short but sweet chapter. Sorry about that. But fear not! Hayffie will be back together tomorrow and there will be smut!_

 _Enjoy!_

 **December 12** **th**

Effie sighed as she leaned on the jewellery counter at work, propping her chin on her hand as she watched the crowd slowly fizzling out. It was a Monday and, as part of Macy's drive to make more money over the holidays, they'd extended their shopping hours to midnight. Effie questioned why, since it was almost eleven pm and they hadn't had a customer at their store for over an hour.

"Effie?" Portia nudged her. "I'm talking to you."

"Hm?"

"I asked if you wanted me to get you a coffee, but you were in a world of your own," Portia smirked. "I can guess exactly what, or should I say _who_ you're thinking about."

"Me?" Effie raised an eyebrow. "No, I'm not thinking about _him._ I'm thinking about how absolutely ludicrous it is that they fully anticipate people coming to an immense department store at what can best be described as the middle of the night."

"You love your job!"

"I do, but not when it means I can't spent time with-"

"Well done, you lasted approximately thirteen seconds into our conversation without mentioning him," Portia rolled her eyes. "You're head over heels, Effie."

"So what if I am?" Effie pouted. "He makes me happy. He's…one of the few things I like about having moved to this city."

"You're falling for him," Portia observed, and Effie didn't even try to deny it.

She wasn't the type of person to fall for someone so fast. For Effie, it took her almost four months to realise it the one and only time she'd been in love. She'd been with the man for four years and the relationship had ended shortly before she applied for the modelling job which brought her to New York. They'd even spoke about marriage at one point, but had never gotten around to becoming officially engaged. But then, she discovered that he'd been cheating on her. Maybe that was the reason she'd still persevered with the move to New York, to get away from the bad memories of him associated with Los Angeles.

"So what if I am?" Effie shrugged. "Isn't that the way?"

"You've only known him a month."

"Six weeks, actually," Effie corrected her, internally groaning when she realised how pathetic she must have sounded.

"And yet I still haven't met him," Portia sighed in a dramatic manner, making Effie scowl at her.

"You won't meet him for a long time yet," Effie retorted. "I want to enjoy this honeymoon period before you come along and tarnish his image of me."

"Oh, he doesn't know about that time when you-"

"Enough!" Effie squeaked, knowing fully that Portia was referencing to that time three months ago when they'd been kicked out of a local nightclub because Effie had drank three shots in one go and thrown up on the DJ.

"Well, at least he knows you can't handle your alcohol," Portia grinned, winking at her before she sauntered off in search of coffee.

xXx

The final hour of Effie's shift dragged and, by the time she'd driven and parked up outside her apartment block, she was exhausted. She stepped into the elevator and made her way to her apartment, opening the door and stopping when she saw the bouquet of flowers on her kitchen table, accompanied by an envelope. Inside was a short note.

" _Effie,_

 _Saw these and thought of ya- you got a tendency to wear too many bright colours at once. Wanted to come to the store to give you them, but I knew you were on a long shift, so I asked your neighbour with the spare key to put them inside your apartment._

 _Hope you like em. See you Friday._

 _H x_ "

The message made her blush, having never expected such a sweet gesture. Haymitch had a very hard exterior and Effie knew she hadn't explored that many layers of his soul. But she was working on it.

She carefully slipped the note back into the envelope and moved the vase to her bedside table. She missed him an awful lot, even though it had only been two days since their last meeting. But she knew she would see him in four days' time and she fell to sleep with a smile on her lips, dreaming of being with him once more.


	20. Day 20- December 16th

_Welcome to Day 20 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown! As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 _WARNING- smut ahead._

 _Enjoy!_

 **December 16** **th**

Haymitch scowled at the several boxes of Christmas lights in his shopping cart as he pushed it around the store in Effie's wake. They'd been in the store for over an hour and Effie had only just finished choosing the appropriate lights for _his_ apartment.

"So much for it being simple," Haymitch grumbled under his breath, somewhat thankful she was too busy analysing Christmas trees to hear him.

"Haymitch, how high is the ceiling in your living room?" She asked as she gazed up at a particularly tall artificial tree.

"Not that high," he murmured, but he was more wincing at the price tag. "And I ain't payin' $200 for a damn tree."

"Language," she snapped, looking over at a smaller one.

"Effs, they had a three foot tree for $10," he sighed. "I'll just…get that one and put it on a table."

"But-"

"No. You ain't takin' over and makin' me feel uncomfortable in my own damn apartment. Got it?"

She blinked at him, before nodding and shuffling off to find the tree he'd been talking about. Instantly, he felt guilty for hurting her feelings. He knew she was overly enthusiastic about pretty much everything and he knew what he was getting in to when he agreed to being in a relationship with her. But sometimes, she could be a little too much. Perhaps his reaction had been justified. However, he still felt terrible.

When she returned to him, he took her hand and pulled her into a short kiss to apologise and she pulled back with a nod, slipping her arm through his as they continued their shopping spree.

By the time they'd checked out, Haymitch had been coerced by Effie into buying a few more decorations aside from the tree he'd initially agreed to. There was a wreath for his apartment door, decorations for his dining room table, even festive bedding. But everything seemed to make Effie so happy and, well, she was to be spending Christmas with him, after all.

XXx

After they'd packed the decorations into Haymitch's car, they took a stroll to Central Park, the pair wanting to grab some lunch before they headed back to Haymitch's apartment to start on decorating. They found a small European restaurant and sat down at the table.

"It would be best for us to start with a visual plan of where everything should go," Effie explained as she nibbled at the sandwich she'd ordered.

"You're obsessive, you know that?" Haymitch mumbled, eyeing her over the rim of his coffee cup. "We'll put the tree up and figure the other shit out later."

He could tell already that Effie was getting irritated with him, but he ignored it.

"I ain't gonna argue with ya, if that's what ya want," he continued. "As I said, it's my apartment. If we lived together, it'd be different."

"Would you ever want us to live together?" Effie said suddenly, making Haymitch choke on his coffee.

"You're askin' me this six weeks after we met, Effie," he responded. "Come back to me in a few months, yeah?"

Honestly, he could already imagine living with her. Her getting irritated with him because he didn't vaccume or do the laundry. Him getting irritated with her because she got lipstick on his favourite shirt or left too many bath products in the bathroom. It was strange how appealing it sounded.

"Okay," Effie nodded, and Haymitch noticed the tiny smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

xXx

It took two trips between the car and his apartment to transport all of the Christmas decorations they'd bought and, once they were piled up in the middle of the lounge, Haymitch moved behind Effie and wrapped his arms around her tiny waist, pressing kisses to her neck.

"What're you doing?" She sighed contentedly, tilting her head aside nonetheless.

"Apologisin' for bein' a dick all day," he smirked, his teeth nipping at her ear as one of his hands trailed to her thigh.

"Haymitch…" she giggled, turning around to kiss him. "We need to decorate…"

"You're staying here tonight," he murmured, picking her up so her legs were around his middle. "We got all day tomorrow for that shit."

"And what exactly do you plan on doing instead of our scheduled decorating?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You know exactly what I plan on doing," he grinned, before carrying her upstairs.

xXx

He carefully sat her down on the edge of the bed, his eyes fixed on hers as he knelt before her. Her legs already parted for him in anticipation, but he still nudged them wider with his hands, before he hitched her skirt up and tugged her panties down.

Over the past few weeks with Effie, he'd learned what would have her squirming beneath him and he'd become incredibly skilful in getting her there with his tongue alone. Within minutes, she'd collapsed back onto the bed, her legs shaking around his head as she rode out the intense orgasm he'd given her.

"You forgiven me yet?" He grinned, standing up and watching as her body gave tiny jolts in response to the aftershocks which were quite evidently still coursing through her.

"A little…" she breathed, watching him as he undressed.

Before she had the chance to say anything else, he'd crawled over her and entered her with a groan, still feeling her tightening around him as he started to move. Sex over the past week or so had been a lot better, Effie having started taking her pill. It meant that he no longer had to use a condom which, in turn, allowed him to feel her better. It did nothing to help his already severe cravings for her, though. He still thought about her every second he was alone.

There was no doubting how well they knew one another, Haymitch knowing the exact places to kiss or touch to bring her to the edge and Effie knowing which parts of him were most sensitive. Their combined insight into the other usually allowed them to finish with one another and Haymitch would be lying if he said that she wasn't the best partner he'd ever had.

Not partner, she was way more than that.

Afterwards, as they lay tangled in the sheets, absolutely spent, Effie asked another question which caught him off guard.

"Haymitch, what do you want for Christmas?"

 _You,_ he thought to himself, but knew it was too cliché.

"Don't worry about me, Effie," he shook his head, coiling one of her blonde curls around his finger. "I told you, I don't do Christmas. Spendin' it wi' you is enough for me."

"You're such an old romantic," Effie sighed dreamily.

 _Bullshit,_ he thought, but couldn't help the fond smile that found its way to his lips. She was wrong, but he could see how hard she was trying to bring that side out of him.

And maybe, just maybe, he'd let her succeed.


	21. Day 21- December 17th

_Welcome to Day 21 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown! As always, feedback is much appreciated._

 _This is another relatively short chapter, but I'm finally feeling able to justify these short chapters because I haven't prewritten any of this and am writing a chapter each and every day. When I sequel this in the New Year (surprise!), it will be a weekly thing, therefore chapters will be a lot longer._

 _Aaaaanyway, enjoy!_

 **December 17** **th**

Haymitch woke up with a faceful of Effie's blonde curls. He was spooning her, the position they always somehow managed to get into when they slept in the same bed. And now, he was completely curled around her, his arms around her waist and his fingers laced with hers. He was glad she was still sleeping, because he truly didn't want to move just yet.

She always snuffled when she was waking up, so he knew he'd have to get up soon when she did just that an hour later. Plus, Effie waking up meant only one thing- decorating his apartment for Christmas. Maybe if he pretended he was still sleeping…

"Haymitch, I know you're awake," he could hear the scowl in her voice. "You're not getting out of decorating."

"Effie…" he whined. "I really don't…want all that shit up in my apartment."

"Do you want me here for Christmas?"

"Don't guilt me, Effie," he mumbled, huffing as she turned to him and gave him those puppy eyes which had a tendency to win him over. "Alright fine…"

"Thank you," she giggled, kissing his nose and getting up, which prompted Haymitch to wolf-whistle her as he stared at her naked form. "Oh hush. Go and get dressed."

Haymitch did just that before shuffling downstairs and starting up the coffee machine. Effie joined him thirty minutes later, looking as flawless as she always did.

"Okay, I believe it will be best for us to set all the decorations out on the living room floor," she explained as she accepted the cup of coffee. "Then we can see what we're working with and decide where to put everything."

"You're the boss," he shrugged, draining his cup and setting it in the sink. "Want me to go get started or do I need your supervision?"

Effie merely narrowed her eyes at him and nudged him towards the living room, following after him.

xXx

After almost two hours, Haymitch's living room floor was scattered with a plethora of decorations, some of which Haymitch was certain he hadn't approved before they went into the cart. Although it didn't surprise him, since the bill for their spree had came to almost $200.

"Okay," Effie grinned, clapping her hands together. "You can get started on assembling the tree. I can hand you the tree ornaments in the order they should go on."

"You're far too into this shit, Effie," he mumbled, but did as he was told. She'd ended up coercing him into purchasing a full-sized tree and, to be honest, by the time he'd assembled it and positioned it in the corner of the room, he kind of liked it. He'd always enjoyed nature as a child. However, his small smile turned into a scowl when Effie handed him the first box of baubles. "Effie, these are all pink!"

"Yes, well done," she rolled her eyes. "I tried to find as many colours as possible. Put these on first, then I shall _attempt_ to restore your fragile masculinity with the blue ones next. Goodness, Haymitch, it's only a colour."

"Yeah, _your_ favourite colour," he grumbled, but proceeded to start hanging the decorations.

By the time they'd finished decorating the living room, it didn't look as bad as Haymitch had anticipated. The day had been filled with bickering between the pair, but he knew it was Effie's stress levels getting to her. He'd decided she got stressed far too easily soon after he met her.

"Looks alright," he shrugged, before letting himself slump on the couch.

"It looks perfect!" She corrected him, moving to sit in his lap and cuddling into him. "We did a wonderful job, darling."

"All I did was put shit where you told me to, Effie."

"Language," she huffed, pecking his lips. "But it looks perfect, doesn't it?"

"Sure," he nodded. "But all these lights are gonna give me a damn headache. Couldn't we put 'em somewhere where we ain't gonna spend a ton of time? Like the hall or somethin'?"

"I think they make the place cosy," she responded, before suddenly leaping up. "Oh! That reminds me!"

He watched as she disappeared from the room, then as she reappeared holding a bag.

"What's that?" He mumbled, leaning forward and propping his elbows on his knees as she slowly slid a plant out of the bag.

"Mistletoe," she smiled. "Come on, you're tall enough to hang it from the ceiling."

"Huh?!"

"You…do know what mistletoe is, don't you?"

"Sure but…" he shook his head. "We kiss all the time. I thought mistletoe was just for office parties. You know, that game of tryin' to get your boss under it."

"Do you have experience with such games, hm?" Effie said with a raised eyebrow, to which Haymitch shrugged.

"Maybe. Still don't get why we need it in my apartment."

"It's…romantic," Effie smiled. "Come on, Haymitch, it's not going to hurt you."

Grumbling under his breath, he got up and located some tape, sticking it to the ceiling in the centre of the living room.

"Happy n-" he was cut off when she leaned up to kiss him. As soon as her lips were on his, he forgot about the mistletoe above them and soon, one kiss turned into two, and they stumbled down to the bedroom, completely forgetting about their frequent arguments from the past few hours.


	22. Day 22- December 20th

_Welcome to Day 22 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown! As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 _Mags is back! She's going to feature much more in the sequel, but this is the last we'll see of her in this particular story. She already adores Effie, though._

 _I apologise if this chapter is a little off. I worked a 13 hour shift before writing this and am truly dead on my feet._

 _Anyway, enjoy!_

 **December 20** **th**

Haymitch elected to get the train to DC that day instead of flying like he usually did. He was heading back to spend a couple of days with Mags, because she was adamant he spend Christmas with Effie.

"We've only been together a month," he'd mumbled down the phone, but his old friend had hushed him, insisting it was more than enough time.

The long train journey gave him time to think, mainly to what to get for Effie for Christmas. She'd already told him she'd gotten him a gift and that he doesn't need to worry about gifting her with anything, but he somehow wanted to.

His first thought was jewellery but, considering the woman worked on a jewellery counter, he figured she might be sick of jewellery. The most he ever saw her wear outside of work were earrings.

Thinking of her fashion sense brought him to shoes and he decided then and there that that would be his chosen gift. She'd left a pair of high heels in his apartment a week ago, so he made a mental note to check the sizing when he returned home. He'd seen several designer stores in New York City, so decided that he must be able to find something she'd like.

Thinking about what to get Effie for Christmas only made him truly miss Effie. He'd never found himself _missing_ someone who he knew he would see again. It was a strange and new sensation to him and he wasn't sure if he liked it. Effie spent several nights a week at his apartment and he was now becoming accustomed to waking up with her tiny frame nestled in his arms, his nose buried in her hair, which was always scented like strawberries from the shampoo she used.

He was so lost in thought, he almost missed his stop and just dove off the train before it pulled away.

The station was crowded and it took him several moments to locate the tiny, frail form of Mags, who'd insisted on collecting him from the station.

"You almost forgot, boy," the woman shook her head, going up on tiptoe to hug him before gesturing for him to follow her out to her car.

Soon, she had him home, pressing a cup of tea into his hand.

"Are you warm enough, Mitch?" Mags asked, concern in her eyes.

"I'm 36, Mags," he smirked. "You don't gotta worry about me."

"I worry, okay?"

He shook his head fondly, taking a sip of his tea. Mags had always worried about him, even before his mother had passed. She'd always filled that grandmotherly role and slowly, she'd became the closest thing to being a mother as he'd experienced since losing his own.

"Sure ya do," he nodded. "Talkin' of which, you sure you don't want me to stay for Christmas?"

"Haymitch, you've got yourself a girl," Mags smiled. "It's your duty to spend it spoiling her. I hope you've done that already."

Haymitch just shrugged.

"Gonna get her some shoes, I think," he said. "She loves shoes. And some flowers, maybe."

"Is she crazy about fashion?"

"Mm. She's already filled my apartment with half her stuff. Scared to touch it in case it's designer."

"I'm picturing her looking like a movie star," Mags grinned.

"She does," he smiled, fishing his phone out of his pocket. He realised he'd never shown Mags a picture of Effie, so he pulled up a picture she took of herself in her pink dress and handed the phone to Mags.

"Oh, isn't she the most beautiful thing!" Mags gasped. "Mitch, how on earth did you manage to catch her?"

"Been askin' myself the same question," he sighed, before going over to his overnight bag and pulling out the jewellery box he'd brought with him, which contained the shell. Smiling, he handed it to Mags.

"Happy Christmas…"

"Mitch," Mags sighed. "I told you not to get me anything…"

"I know," he mumbled. "But I'll explain when you open it."

He watched as her frail fingers unpicked the ribbon and tugged the lid off of the box.

"Haymitch, it's beautiful," Mags smiled brightly. "Thank you."

"Nah, it's thanks to you and this necklace that I won my first date with Effie," he grinned. "I went back to her stall to buy a different necklace, but they'd sold it. So she picked out this one and offered discount when I bought it. I said she should let me take her on a date instead."

"Well, I shall wear this with pride in knowing it helped my boy find love."

"Wouldn't say that just yet," he murmured, feeling his cheeks start to burn.

He was certainly falling for Effie, yes. But would love come into it at this stage? He'd always thought it was a slow process, but Effie had rooted herself right in his heart.

He'd always said that Mags was the only person in the world that he could truly say he loved. But Effie was slowly creeping into that same emotion too.


	23. Day 23- December 22nd

_Welcome to the extremely late Day 23 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown! As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 _Another 'filler' chapter today before the veritable Christmas Eve smutfest in the next chapter! Spoiler? Nah, it's Hayffie. What else do you expect?_

 _I'm so so sorry this is so late, along with the final two chapters. They were uploaded on my Tumblr blog on time, but I completely neglected to post them here. I have no excuse._

 _Enjoy!_

 **December 22** **nd**

"You spent _five hundred dollars_ on her?" Chaff's eyes went wide as he stared at Haymitch across the bar table.

"She uh…she likes shoes," Haymitch shrugged, taking a sip of his water. He'd elected to steer well clear of alcohol after what had happened that night a month ago. "I didn't know what else to get her."

"You usually buy…I dunno, lingerie or somethin'," Chaff responded.

"Is your mind ever out of the damn gutter or not?"

"I'm just thinkin' logically, buddy."

"Yeah well I uh…got her that too," Haymitch murmured. "So don't lose sleep over it."

xXx

Haymitch had spent the whole day shopping for gifts for Effie before he'd met Chaff for their usual Christmas drink together. The men saw eachother several days a week at work, but they were busy doing their jobs. There was very little time to actually sit down and talk.

He'd left his apartment early that morning, desperate to beat the crowds. He was only shopping for Effie, with his planned drink that night being Chaff's Christmas present. He knew he was getting her a pair of shoes, having checked and double checked the size of the ones she'd left at his apartment. He also knew that there was no limit to the style of shoe he should buy her, because he'd seen her wear every type he could think of.

He visited several stores, including the shoe floor in Macy's, being careful to avoid anyone he knew who knew he was with Effie. But something kept pulling him back to one particular store a few blocks away. The pair he'd seen was a little more expensive than he'd anticipated, but the pair screamed 'Effie Trinket' to him and he knew he couldn't resist. They weren't sky-high, but they were high enough, covered in pale pink glitter. He also took the advice of the salesman in the store and got them resoled, because apparently the current sole was designed exclusively for wear on the red carpet.

After leaving the store, he decided he wasn't done with buying gifts for her. They'd been together just shy of two months, but he wanted to treat her like a princess. That's what she was to him, anyway. Beautiful, sweet and way out of his league.

He wandered further down the street, stopping at a lingerie boutique. He relaxed a little when he saw a few men already in the store, quite obviously buying intimate items of clothing for their significant others. When he stepped inside, he was accosted by a dark-haired girl, who began asking questions instantly. By the time he'd left the store, he'd purchased a pink lace lingerie set and two nightdresses, one silver and one red. When the woman had asked for Effie's size, he'd told her that her breasts fit perfectly into his hands, making the woman blush. He hadn't had time to check Effie's size, so that was all he really had to go on. Anyway, if they were the wrong size, he could quite easily return them.

His final gift was another unexpected idea in his mind, but he'd only spotted it as he passed the small jewellery store. He'd heard of this brand before and knew women went crazy for it. As he stepped inside and saw the vast choice of charms, he knew he'd be here for a long time if he didn't approach the sales assistant.

"'M lookin' for somethin'…related to New York, first off," he murmured, scratching the back of his neck.

The sales assistant ducked behind the counter and emerged with a selection of charms. Haymitch's eyes instantly fell on a charm in the shape of the Empire State Building and his mind went straight to Sleepless In Seattle, Effie's favourite movie. He knew he had to buy it.

He also ended up selecting a crown, a Christmas tree and a polar bear, each representing something different. The crown represented a line in Fairytale of New York, which said 'queen of New York City', the tree representing their date to the Rockefeller tree lighting and the polar bear representing that faux fur coat she wore on a daily basis. Haymitch had never put so much thought into a Christmas gift.

 _What the fuck is she doing to me?_ He asked himself silently as he paid the $200 total for the charms and the bracelet.

He didn't know. What he did know, however, was that she was changing his outlook on life completely and he had no desire to stop her.


	24. Day 24- December 24th

_Welcome to Day 24 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown, the_ _ **PENULTIMATE CHAPTER.**_ _As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 _I can't believe this fic is almost over! 24 chapters down, one to go. Damn._

 _ **WARNING- SMUT AHEAD.**_

 _Enjoy!_

 **December 24** **th**

Three neatly wrapped presents were sitting under Haymitch's Christmas tree when the delicate knock at the door signalled Effie's arrival. There was a smile on Haymitch's face as he got up to answer, which turned into a grin when he saw that she was wearing a fur-trimmed red dress under her open white coat, with knee-high black stiletto boots.

"Alright, Mrs. Claus," he smirked. "What did you do with my girlfriend?"

"Girlfriend?" She giggled, leaning up to peck his lips. "I love hearing you call me that. Now, help me bring your gifts in."

When she stepped aside, his eyes fell on the six bags full of presents.

"They ain't all for me…right?" He asked, wincing. "I said no gifts, Effie…"

"I couldn't resist," she smiled sweetly, picking up two of the bags and wandering inside, where she started setting them out beneath the tree. By the time every gift was out, the gifts Haymitch had gotten for her were completely swamped.

"Crazy girl," he shook his head as he stood in the centre of the room, his hands propped on his hips as he watched her. He was surprised when she suddenly moved over and kissed him hard, but he quickly realised he was stood right beneath the mistletoe she'd insisted he hand up when they decorated his apartment a week ago.

As it always did with them, their kiss grew heated quickly and his hands had already pushed her coat off by the time Effie broke their kiss to look up at him.

"Shall I tell you a secret, Haymitch?" She smirked.

"If it's one you're willing to share," he grinned.

"Actually, I'd much rather…let you feel..." she teased, taking his hand and slowly guiding it under her skirt.

Instantly, his blood rushed south as he let his fingers run over her. She was wearing absolutely nothing underneath.

He was quick to lift her up and sit her on the couch, moving to his knees before her and pushing up her dress so he could have access to her with his mouth. She knew how to drive him crazy almost as well as _he_ knew how to drive _her_ crazy. Within minutes, she was crying out for him, her fingers gripping his hair.

As he came back up, he tugged her dress off over her head, his hands mapping her naked body as he leaned in to kiss her.

When they made it to the bedroom and she'd undressed him, he was surprised when she pushed him onto his back and straddled his thighs. She'd never done this before, but it wasn't something he was opposed to. Not with such a perfect view of her body.

"Are you okay?" She purred, leaning in to nibble his neck as she repositioned herself and slowly began to grind against him.

"More than okay…" he groaned, his hands going to her ass. He was already aching for her, but he knew Effie was a tease. Now that she had full control, he knew his release wouldn't happen soon.

It was another ten minutes of her wandering fingers and lips before she eventually sank down onto him, the pair moaning in unison as she began to roll her hips. After a few moments, she took his hands and pulled him up so he could wrap his arms around her.

He took the opportunity straight away to tilt her back slightly, giving him access to her breasts and giving her a new angle at the same time.

Within minutes, she was reduced to a shaking mess on top of him and he soon followed suit with his own climax.

As they laid there in the tangled blankets, he slipped a finger under her chin and drew her into a kiss. When she pulled back, there was a thoughtful look on her face.

"What's on your mind?" He murmured, his fingers absentmindedly playing with one of her blonde curls.

"Nothing," she said quietly. "We just…we never do anything romantic at either of our apartments. We just…have sex then fall asleep."

"Don't tell me you're complaining," he groaned. "I think we got it good."

"That's not what I mean," she shook her head, sitting up with a sigh. "I mean…we never have meals, we never sit and watch movies…nothing like that. Goodness, I'd even take a bath with you if that would give us a little bit of romance."

"Havin' you naked in my arms would only lead to one thing, Effs," he teased.

"I'm serious, Haymitch," she huffed, pouting. "Let's just…try and keep our hands off eachother for more than an hour."

"Fine," he grumbled. "Merry fuckin' Christmas to me."

xXx

As it so happened, Effie's idea wasn't exactly a bad one. An hour after they'd fell into bed together, the pair were settled in the bathtub with a bottle of wine and an old Christmas movie playing on Haymitch's laptop, which he'd precariously balanced on the counter.

"This is about as romantic as you'll get from me," he murmured, nuzzling his nose in her neck. "Enjoy it while it lasts."

"I'm going to make the most of it," she giggled, taking a sip of her wine. "I feel as if our first Christmas together is going to be truly perfect, you know?"

"Hm," he made a noise of assent, propping his chin on her shoulder. He had no interest in the movie they were watching. Having her in his arms relaxed him.

xXx

After their bath, the pair dressed and moved to the couch, switching on the TV only to find that Sleepless In Seattle was playing. Effie squealed and Haymitch let her leave it on, holding her close as her eyes were fixed on the screen. It made him smile to see her so happy, and made him smile even more as the movie reminded him of his gifts for her

When he thought about it, it felt as if they'd been together for a lot longer than the month since they'd made it official. He'd found his person in her, he knew that now.

His train of thought was broken when he felt her lips on his and only then did he realise that it was midnight.

"Merry Christmas, my darling…" Effie whispered with a soft smile.

"Merry Christmas, princess," he returned, before his lips were on hers once more.


	25. Day 25- December 25th

_Welcome to Day 25 of my Hayffie Christmas countdown! As always, feedback is much appreciated!_

 _Well, here we are! The final chapter! When I first started this fic, I didn't think I'd make it past the four chapters I already had queued by December 1_ _st_ _. But now, as we reach the final chapter, I couldn't feel prouder of myself. Writing is something I used to truly adore and still do, but lost all motivation for it around 3 years ago. Since I left uni and had free time on my hands outside of my job, I slowly brought myself back into writing, whether it be a chapter of a fic, a headcanon or a oneshot. And I'm so truly happy that my motivation is coming back. It's not fully back, but this fic has truly increased it and I can promise you'll here more from this AU in the future (coming very soon_ _). I also have a Westworld-inspired AU lined up, along with another chapter of The Rose and The Thorn coming in the next few weeks._

 _And my motivation is thanks to each and every one of you who read and commented on this fic. You all truly helped me write this and I can never thank you all enough._

 _Enjoy, and have a truly wonderful Christmas/whatever you celebrate!_

 **December 25** **th**

Because they were both adults, Haymitch hadn't expected to be woken by an overly-excited Effie as six am the following morning.

"We have to get up!" She squealed, leaping out of bed and pulling one of Haymitch's shirts on over her bare body.

"Presents ain't gonna go anywhere, Effie," he grunted, rolling back over and burying himself under the blankets.

He could practically hear her pouting.

"You're an idiot," she huffed, climbing back into bed and staring at him, in apparent hope that it would make him uncomfortable.

But it was to no avail. Within minutes, Haymitch was snoring again.

xXx

He was woken again two hours later by a pair of soft lips on his, and he opened his eyes to find Effie nose-to-nose with him.

"You been awake this whole time?" He grumbled, absentmindedly brushing her hair out of her face.

"Mhmm," she nodded. "I couldn't sleep."

"You're a damn child, you know that?" He murmured, but knew he couldn't put the inevitable off for any longer and sat up. "C'mon, then."

He was surprised to find that Effie had made breakfast and had set it out on the coffee table in the lounge, which would allow them to sit on the couch to eat it.

"I would normally insist on eating at a proper table," Effie said. "But you're like a giant bear and I enjoy snuggling you too much to _not_ sit beside you on the couch."

"Ain't got an issue with that," he smirked, grabbing one of the plates and slumping on the couch as he started to eat. "You made all this?"

"Yes," she nodded, nestling into his side. "I…didn't learn to cook until I moved to New York. We always had a caterer on hand at home for our meals so…"

"Wait…what?"

"It's…common where I lived…"

"Shit, Effs, you tellin' me I'm datin' a damn princess or somethin'?"

"Only by your nickname," she teased, which instantly sent his thoughts to the crown charm he'd bought for her. "It's an honour to be your princess."

"Ain't had anyone like you before, Effie," he shrugged, kissing her back when she practically pounced on him.

"You're such an old romantic," she giggled, going back to eating. "And I have no complaints about that."

xXx

Effie took the role of handing out the presents and by the time she was done, the size of the pile in her name paled in comparison to the ones she'd given to him.

"You're damn crazy," he smirked. "I told you not to bother."

"And I elected to ignore your instruction," she fired back with a smile. "Now…which should I open first?"

Haymitch stretched out an arm and pointed to the flat box in the middle, which contained the lingerie and the nightdress. He watched as she opened it, smirking as he saw the blush creeping over her cheeks.

"Would you like me to wear this tonight, hm?" She giggled.

"If you insist," he grinned.

"Perhaps I do insist," she smirked. "Although I'm interested to know…how on earth did you know my bra size?"

"I uh…" he paused a moment before holding up his hands, waiting for the penny to drop.

"Oh…oh, you horrid man!" She squeaked, throwing the panties at him that she had in his hand. "That's your point of reference, hm?"

"Well, yeah…" he smirked, throwing the panties back to her. "If they fit then my theory worked."

She narrowed her eyes at him, but moved on to the next gift. She squealed when she opened up the shoes, diving at him and kissing him hard. He was surprised when he saw she was crying.

"Fuckin' hell," he smirked, brushing her tears away with his thumbs. "It's a pair of shoes."

"You don't understand…" she squeaked. "They're perfect…oh Haymitch…"

He smirked more and decided to distract her by opening his own gifts. He wanted the bracelet to be his final surprise, anyway.

After ten minutes, he'd unwrapped all of his gifts, truly grateful for the aftershaves, shirts, ties and new watch she'd gotten for him.

"Thanks, Effs…" he murmured, sliding a hand to the nape of her neck and drawing her into a sweet kiss.

When she reached for the bag containing her final gift, he gently grabbed her wrist. He didn't know why, but he wanted her to wait.

"After lunch or somethin'…" he mumbled, kissing away her pout.

xXx

Cooking was a stressful affair, mainly because of the amount of bickering over who was to do what. It reminded Haymitch very much of their day spent decorating his apartment.

"Haymitch, you've got the oven on the wrong temperature!" Effie squeaked, quickly turning the dial up. "Goodness, at this rate, we wont be eating the food until New Year!"

But thankfully, they pulled together and were sat at the table three hours later. Haymitch kept thinking back to how strange it was that they'd fallen so hard for one another in such a short space of time and how domestic they were already becoming. In fact, he could almost say-

"I think I love you, Haymitch," Effie said all of a sudden, prompting Haymitch to almost choke on the piece of carrot he was chewing.

"Come again?!"

"You heard me," she murmured, blushing. "I know it hasn't been a great deal of time but…well, I can't find another label to put on my feelings so…"

"That's uh…hm," was all he could respond with, trying not to look at the hurt in her eyes. He felt it too, but those words were difficult for him. Maybe his final gift would let her know exactly how he felt.

After they;d finished eating and washed up, he took her hand and lead her back into the living room, letting her sit down before he retrieved the bag from under the tree and handed it to her.

As she opened up the bracelet, he sat and explained each charm one by one, watching the smile slowly return to her face. It warmed his heart to see her so truly happy.

After he'd clasped the bracelet around her wrist, he reached into the bag and handed her a note, letting her read it before he drew her into a tender kiss.

' _To my Queen of New York City,_

 _Happy Christmas. Can't believe we're spending it together._

 _Here's to many more._

 _H x'_

 **THE END**


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